An Officer and A Not So Gentle Woman
by 7wanderers
Summary: What happens when a gentlemanly biotic meets a crude and sometimes violent former sex addict? They save the galaxy, of course. But will the galaxy ever let them be together? Events of ME1-3, eventually post ME3. Rated M for some sexiness and language. The Mass Effect universe and characters belong to BioWare and I claim no ownership.
1. A Much Needed Vacation

***Author's Note: Currently doing some rewrites while I shake off writer's block and start posting these chapters on DeviantArt (7wanderers) as well. Hope you enjoy the story!***

Commander Rachael Shepard woke abruptly when she felt her omni-tool vibrate. She pulled her head from the thick glass window she'd been resting on and let out a yawn. She had a large red mark on her forehead from the glass and rubbed it away with her hand. She brought up the message and ran her fingers across her eyes. She read the message once and thought it was a joke. When she read it again, she bit her lip angrily.

"Shepard, Rachael. Staff Commander Service no. 5923-AC-2826 Due to extenuating circumstances, you have been officially reassigned to the SSV Normandy as Executive Officer under Captain David Anderson. Please report for duty as soon as arrangements can be made. The ship is currently docked and waiting at Arcturus Station. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  
>Special Forces Assignment Committee"<p>

"Inconvenience," she shook her head. "How about a big fucking pain in my ass?," she thought to herself. She was on her way to some much needed shore leave, the first vacation she had taken in two years. She sunk back in her seat with a sigh and closed her eyes again. The long shuttle flight had taken it's toll and she wasn't looking forward to taking the same ride back. She could see Earth from her window and opened her eyes when she heard the shutters on the ship begin to close. A virtual flight attendant appeared on the monitor in front of her and announced that they were beginning their descent into Earth. The man sitting beside her had slumped over part of her chair, asleep, so she gave him a hearty shove to move him. He woke up confused and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, excuse me, are we landing?" he mumbled.

"Some of us," Shepard frowned.

She was in no rush to unload and waited for most of the passengers to disembark before grabbing her carryon case. She went straight towards the ticket counter after leaving the airlock. "When is the next flight to Arcturus?" Shepard asked the overly cheerful attendant.

"We have a flight leaving in one hour, but I am afraid it is all booked," the woman smiled.

"I've been called off leave. I have Alliance clearance to commandeer a seat from a civilian," Shepard replied with disdain.

"Oh, yes of course ma'am," the attendant cast her eyes away from Shepard's stare. "I will just need your Alliance ID code for approval."

Shepard sent the ID code from her omni-tool and leaned on the counter while the attendant made the arrangements. The woman glanced down at Shepard's Alliance ID picture and back up her. They looked like two different women. Shepard's latest ID picture had been taken right after a bad mission on Xenia. She had shoved her long, copper hair into a beret and she had heavy bags under her eyes. Today Shepard had her hair down and had actually made an effort to look nice for her vacation. "Would you like a window or an aisle seat, Ms. Shepard?" the woman asked.

"It doesn't matter," Shepard pinched the inner corners of her eyes. "Just make sure my luggage gets sent back with me."

She left the podium and headed out into the terminal to grab a snack and something for her headache. She could hear the attendant calling the unfortunate soul whose seat Shepard had taken. While grabbing some food and a magazine for the flight back, Shepard glanced over to see a man arguing with the attendant. When she sat back down near the shuttle gate, the angry man had begun taking his frustrations out on the young man he assumed was the Alliance solider that had taken his seat.

The young man was actually on his way to a honeymoon on Terra Nova, but the irate passenger wouldn't listen. He punched the young groom in the face before being detained by security. Medics attended to the groom, while his bride sobbed next to him. "That's three vacations that have been ruined," Shepard tried to hide a smile. No one ever guessed she was a highly skilled special forces soldier. She was unassuming in a uniform, but striking when she decided to dress up. She'd kept her hair long since she was a girl, as her mother had done. She was small and lithe, perfect for her stealth work as an infiltrator. She enjoyed the solitude of quiet nights staked out in some hole in the wall, her sniper rifle as her only companion.

She was liked well enough by her subordinates and superiors, but she had few friends. She never made much effort to interact with people and her demeanor prevented most people from approaching her. Her instructors at the Alliance Academy pegged her as slightly lazy, but high functioning. She could do a lot with only a little effort. She'd study for an hour and ace a test, while her classmates would cram all night and receive average scores.

She was terribly apathetic and sarcastic. She only had a few real concerns in her life, one of them being sex. She was a borderline sex addict, her mind drifting to thoughts of sex more often than not. She tried to mask her addiction through real relationships, but they never seemed to worked out. She became depressed and despondent without sex, usually on long recon missions. The frustration helped her focus, but she'd bed the first good looking man she saw when she returned home. Not that she had a home to speak of. She'd been awarded a small apartment on the Citadel as part of receiving the Star of Terra, but she had never stepped foot inside.

Her plans for a long vacation of casual sex had been dashed. She stood up as the flight began to board and cracked her neck loudly. The attendant had given her a first class seat, so she sat down and stretched her legs out. The honeymooners sat across from her, apparently trying to soothe their ordeal with a full blown kissing session. Shepard rolled her eyes and pulled out the magazine from her carryon. She'd grabbed a Fornax out of habit and let out a frustrated sigh. "Just what I fucking need," she muttered to herself as she crushed the magazine in her fingers. She felt the urging sensation she'd hoped to end on her vacation, growing even worse. She shoved a pair of small earphones on and turned on music from her omni-tool. She could only hope some Elcor opera would help her get some rest on the long flight back.


	2. Lust At First Sight

Shepard fell asleep for a few hours and awoke mid-flight. Most of the other passengers were still asleep and it was eerily quiet. Only a blanket of dark space stood outside the window, so she had no idea how far they were from the Arcturus Station. Her Fornax was still face down on her lap, so she picked it up. She skipped past all the alien spreads and found the scant human male section. 'Wow,' she thought to herself as she looked at one of the spreads. 'That has to be genetically modified.'

The naked men weren't helping her mood, so she played games on her omni-tool until they began docking at Arcturus. Shepard began wondering what was so damn important that she'd been pulled from leave. Her best guesses were some sort of terrorist threat or political shit storm. Ever since becoming an N7 operations specialist, she'd been assigned no less than the most exciting and important missions. Shepard may have slacked in school, but her career was the most important thing in her life. Her apathy had helped in that respect and she was able to kill without much emotion. She hadn't always been so cold, but her early life had practically forced her to be.

Shepard had been born on the colony of Mindoir in 2154. Her parents had moved from Earth, when Shepard's mother had been pregnant. Her parents were both successful engineers, but had moved to escape the hectic life on Earth. They bought a small farm on the edge of the colony to raise their daughter. Shepard had grown up reading old Earth books and helping her parents around the farm. They had lived a simple life until batarians raided the colony when Shepard was sixteen.

Both her parents had been killed and she was found near death. She had been taken to the Arcturus Station by an Alliance rescue ship and remained in an orphanage until she was eighteen. She'd gone on a bad binge of drinking and sex those two years and had no direction in her life. Her mentor had urged her to enlist in the Alliance and with no real options, she did just that. She didn't get along with most of her classmates, putting up barriers to push people away. She never wanted to feel the pain of losing someone close to her. Her casual relationships allowed her to fill her loneliness without commitment.

Even at 28, she had never had a serious relationship with anyone. She found some flaw or reason to force herself to hate the person she was with at the time. She would leave them and find another man to fill her sexual needs. As she climbed off the shuttle at Arcturus, she wondered if she had time to stop by one of the pleasure cafes. They had scanned her ID, so she knew the captain would probably be alerted to her arrival. She eyed the shuttle heading to the red light district and bit her lip. She turned towards the blue Alliance shuttle and asked the driver to take her to the navy hub instead.

A young soldier greeted her at the door of the airlock and offered to take her weapons cases. "No, I've got it," she replied, as the solider escorted her inside.

"Fucking new guys," she thought to herself as they went through decontamination. The young man looked barely out of boot camp. She hoped she hadn't been stuck on a ship with a bunch of recruits. She was no teacher and was not cut out for babysitting green soldiers. She followed the soldier downstairs and he left her with a salute at the captain's door.

"You must be Commander Shepard," the tall man inside said when she walked in.

"Sir," she saluted.

"Captain David Anderson. Sorry for interrupting your leave, Commander," he replied.

"Hadn't even started it, sir," she replied, trying not to sound disgruntled.

"Why don't you get settled in and take a look around the ship?" he added. "I will send our mission report to your omni-tool when I am finished."

She nodded and left his cabin, wandering around the ship for a while. She put her guns in the armory under her personal lock and key. Her guns were about the only thing she had a mothering instinct towards. She stopped to browse the mission report and was annoyed at the lack of details. Her headache had returned, so she wandered into the medical bay and found an old acquaintance, Dr. Karin Chakwas, sitting at a medical station. "Karin, how the hell have you been?" Shepard asked the doctor.

"Shepard," the doctor replied, giving her a slight hug. "I heard you were being assigned as the XO."

"How long have you been here?" Shepard asked.

"Less than a week. This is our first real test run. How long has it been since we were on the Elberus together?"

"I left in eighty one, so that'd be about two years, I suppose," Shepard figured.

"Never one to stick around on a ship too long. I heard you've done quite a lot in the past few years," Chakwas remarked.

"Apparently not enough to warrant a decent vacation," Shepard smirked.

"Yes, I heard they pulled you off leave."

"On my way to leave. I didn't even get one fruity drink."

"Well, maybe this will be a short assignment. Not that I'd like to see you go."

"So anything else worth looking at on the ship? I already checked out that newfangled drive core. It looks impressive."

"You haven't been to the fight deck or else you would have asked," Dr. Chakwas smiled slightly.

"Asked what?" Shepard wondered.

"Just have a look around up there and you will find out!"

"What are you holding out?" Shepard laughed.

Dr. Chakwas only grinned, knowing she had aroused Shepard's curiosity. She left the med bay and walked up to the flight deck to search out the cause of the doctor's remark. The two women had formed a close bond while Shepard was serving a brief stint on the Elberus. They had similar personalities and had often shared war stories of their sordid affairs.

Shepard passed the large galaxy map and stopped to take a look at it. "That galaxy map is one of a kind," a man said. "Navigator Pressley," he introduced himself. "Good to have you on board Commander."

"How does it work?" she wondered. She could see the ship's realtime progress through the galaxy.

"The map is in constant contact with the comm buoys, so we can accurately track our course."

"Looks like we are about halfway to Eden Prime already," Shepard added.

"The Exodus Cluster isn't too far," Pressley replied.

She left the map and turned towards the pilot's deck. She stopped for a moment when she saw the shadow of a turian hovering behind the pilot's chair. "Is that a turian on board?" Shepard asked quietly to Pressley.

"Not just a Turian, a Council Spectre as well," Pressley whispered.

Shepard knitted her brow, finding the turian's presense highly unusual. The shakedown run was too simple a mission for her to be pulled from leave. If there was a Council Spectre on board, she knew it had to be something big. She walked cautiously towards the bridge, hoping to eavesdrop on their conversation. The turian turned abruptly and passed her only with a slight nod of recognition. She found the pilot in a quiet argument with the man sitting beside him. "Uhem," she cleared her throat. "I'm the new XO. I like to know who is flying my ship."

"I'm Jeff, um Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau ma'am, but everyone calls me Joker," the pilot said, turning slightly in his chair. His cheeks were red from embarrassment. "This is Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," he added, pointing to the man next to him.

"Commander," the man beside the pilot added in a gravelly voice. "It is a honor to finally serve with you."

Shepard glanced over at the man and flushed immediately. She felt a hot surge of energy rush through her body, straight to the bottom of her spine. He was dark and handsome and his uniform fit him well. He was Shepard's type in every way, shape, and form. She could feel a tight urging between her legs and wanted nothing more than to jump on top of him. 'Oh Dr. Chakwas, you bitch,' Shepard thought, as Lt. Alenko stared back at her with a smile. She only manage to stand there in silence staring at him awkwardly. She'd never bedded a fellow enlisted officer, let alone a subordinate and had a strict personal policy of keeping her affairs out of the Alliance. She didn't care much about fraternization rules, but they helped keep unwanted drama out of her career. Shepard wanted to run down to the med bay and scream at Dr. Chakwas about how unfair it was.

"Is there something else you need?" Kaidan asked as she stood silently staring at him.

Shepard realized she hadn't said a word and probably looked like a bumbling fool. "I, uh," she managed before Captain Anderson's voice interrupted her over the comm.

"Joker, call Commander Shepard and tell her to meet me in the conference room," Anderson ordered.

"Aye-aye, Captain. She is right here." Joker replied.

Shepard excused herself after another glance at the handsome lieutenant and headed towards the comm room. She felt stupid for staring, but couldn't seem to help herself. She passed Dr. Chakwas who was upstairs giving a stern lesson to a young soldier named Jenkins. "I don't care if it was combat training," Chakwas chastised him. "I don't want to hear of another incident of Lt. Alenko 'flipping you over'."

"Just a little something I wanted to show the folks back home on Eden Prime if we get the chance," Jenkins replied.

"This isn't a getaway cruise," Chakwas said, rolling her eyes.

"We need to talk," Shepard mouthed to the doctor, pointing towards the bridge.

The doctor grinned widely at Shepard and waved her away. When Shepard entered the comm room, she found only the turian Spectre waiting for her. She wondered where Captain Anderson was and asked him after he introduced himself as Nihlus. "Not to worry Shepard, he will be in shortly," the turian replied. "I hoped to get the chance to speak to you in private."

"Is that so?" she asked, trying to take her mind off the handsome lieutenant. "Is this about our supposed shakedown run. The whole crew seems on edge."

"No," he replied. "I am just curious about Eden Prime. I heard it is quite beautiful."

"I've never been there. What does it matter?"

"I am just curious if the Alliance is really ready to join the Galactic community."

"So you brought me in here to talk politics or aesthetics?" she asked in an annoyed tone. She heard Captain Anderson come in behind her.

"I think it is time we told you about the real mission," Anderson said. "We are making a pick up on Eden Prime. This is why the Normandy was sent in. The ship's stealth systems were vital to the mission."

"What exactly are we picking up? And how do I fit into the situation? Someone high profile?"

"A research team found a prothean beacon on the planet's surface. The colony doesn't have the technology to study it, so it needs to be relocated to the Citadel."

"This discovery is far greater than just human interests," Nihlus added.

"So I'm here because of my experience as a delivery person?" she mocked slightly. "What am I really doing here?"

"Nihlus wants to see how you work. Here's here to evaluate your skills."

"What for?"

"We are considering you as a candidate for the Spectres." Nihlus replied. "Your ambassador has been pushing heavily for one of your own to join our ranks."

Even though Shepard had known there was more to the mission than just a test flight, she was still annoyed that she had been kept in the dark. She had been with Special Forces for years and had been privy to some highly classified information. "Why wasn't I told?" she asked, with a slight tone of anger. "I would have been less angry about canceling my leave if I had known what was going on."

"The details were on a need-to-know basis. A direct order from the Council." Anderson replied.

"Why all the secrecy? They have been discovering a lot of prothean artifacts lately," Shepard asked.

"This is an intact beacon, like nothing we've recovered before. If someone unseemly got their hands on it," Nihlus added.

"Are you expecting trouble then?"

"This information has only passed through classified Council channels. Things should go smoothly," Anderson answered.

Joker came over the comm suddenly and interrupted him. "Captain. I just got us connected to a comm buoy. A video transmission was just forwarded to us."

Joker relayed the video into the room quickly. From the video footage, the colony appeared to be under attack. As Shepard watched, she felt a knot forming in her stomach. A slight tingle tickled across her skin as her biotics flared up. She had minor abilities, but was untrained. As a young girl on Mindoir, she had known nothing about biotics and felt ashamed when her temper tantrums resulted in her favorite toys being hurled across the room. "You think it is slavers?" Shepard wondered, already forming an attack plan in her mind. She felt adrenaline surging through her and could think of nothing else but getting ground side.

"It seems a little too convenient," Anderson shook his head.

"We will need to send in a small strike team to recover the beacon," Nihlus said. "Only a few of your best."

"Grab Jenkins and Alenko and head down to the the cargo bay to get suited up!" Captain Anderson commanded to Shepard.

Shepard followed Anderson out and motioned for Jenkins to follow her. She walked briskly back towards the bridge and saw Lieutenant Alenko already coming towards her. "Suit up, Alenko," she called. "You are coming with me." She was in combat mode and any attraction to him had floated to the back of her mind.

The two men followed her downstairs to the armory where they quickly changed into their tactical armor. Shepard tried briefly to explain what was going on without too many details. The two men eyed the blood red stripe on her N7 armor with respect. In order to wear the stripe, you had to be proficient in multiple weapons and fighting styles, as well as a specialization. Shepard has chosen the Technical Branch and could hack and decode with the best of them. She unpacked her sniper rifle and pistol from their cases in the armory and waited anxiously to get on the ground. 


	3. A Colony Under Attack

Shepard gently fingered the hard edges of her pistol as they waited to land on Eden Prime. She glanced at the console every minute to check their progress. "I will meet you at the designated rendezvous point here," Nihlus said, pointing a talon down at spot of the colony schematic.

"Keep radio silence as much as you can," Anderson added.

The cargo bay doors snapped open as the ship hovered above the ground. Nihlus jumped down quickly and disappeared from view. The doors remained open as they moved slowly over a small lake to the second drop point. "Be careful Commander," Anderson yelled over the loud wind. "We have no idea what we are up against.

Shepard nodded and stood at the edge of the doors, holding onto a bar to steady herself. She loved the danger and excitement of a quick drop. The warm wind blowing through her helmet got her adrenaline flowing. As the ship slowed, she jumped down, landing hard on the ground. She immediately pulled her pistol from her hip and listened for the two men to jump down beside her.

"Here we go again Alenko," Jenkins shouted as the ship took off. He patted the handsome lieutenant on the back briskly.

"Our mission is to secure the beacon," she ordered. "Check your targets for friendlies and only engage when fired upon."

"What are those?" Kaidan said in an alarmed tone, as several floating creatures drifted by.

"Relax, Alenko, we called them 'gas bags.' Fun for target practice," Jenkins laughed.

"I'd rather practice on something inanimate," Kaidan replied.

"Cut the chatter," Shepard snapped and pulled her sniper rifle off her back. She scanned the area with her scope but could see nothing in the distance. She replaced her gun and signaled for Jenkins to take point.

As they came down the ridge, three blips popped onto Shepard's radar. Jenkins ran forward and before she could yell for him to slow down, a trio of security drones emerged from cover and began firing on them. "Get down," Shepard yelled. She saw Jenkins get hit, but didn't know if he was still alive.

"Jenkins?" she called out as she peeked around the rock she'd dove behind.

"I've got them on radar," Kaidan called. "I can overload their shields."

"Do it!" Shepard yelled over the sound of the drone's constant fire.

As soon as she heard the drone's shields drop she broke from cover and began firing. Kaidan followed suit and the drones soon fell into a crumpled mess. He ran immediately to Jenkins, who lie motionless on the ground.

"He never even had a chance," Kaidan said, sadness in his voice. "Where the hell did those things come from?"

"They were ready for an ambush," Shepard replied. She wanted to give the soldier a moment to grieve for his friend but they had no time. "We have to keep moving," Shepard added placing a hand on Kaidan's shoulder as he stooped over Jenkins' body. "I'm sorry Lieutenant."

He let out a heavy sigh and pried the dog tag off Jenkins' suit. Shepard held out her hand and Kaidan slipped them slowly into her glove. "Normandy, I am flagging an area for retrieval of a body. Richard L. Jenkins, KIA," Shepard radioed, looking down at the dog tag. She slipped the tags into a small pouch on her suit.

"What are they Commander? They don't look like any human built security drones," Kaidan said, kicking the crumpled mess of machine parts.

Shepard knelt by his side and used the end of her pistol to sort through some of the mess. "These are a modified version of an old Quarian design. They stopped making these years ago," Shepard looked at the parts. "It has got to be Batarians, maybe mercs."

"You've dealt with Batarians before, what should we expect?" Kaidan asked,

"I don't know. We need to stay cover to cover and get to that beacon," she stood up.

"Understood ma'am," he nodded and followed her.

Nihlus updated them on the radio as they proceeded ahead. They climbed further up the hill where the recon drones had come from and found more of the same waiting for them. The drones kept their distance this time so Shepard pulled out her sniper rifle and picked them off from afar. The sound of gun fire continued after they had stopped firing. "That sounds like one of ours," Kaidan remarked.

They found a local solider huddled against a small rock, while three hostiles closed in. "Come on," Shepard called, running down the hill. She fired as she ran, compensating her aim along with her strides.

"Who the hell are you?" the soldier asked after all the hostiles have been killed.

"Staff Commander Shepard," Rachael barked, not expecting such an ungrateful welcome.

"Sorry, Ma'am," the soldier apologized. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Willams." She saluted Shepard afterwards.

"We came to pick up the beacon, what the hell is going on?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know, these things came out of no where," Williams replied.

"What are they?" Kaidan asked.

"I think they are Geth."

"What? The Geth haven't been seen outside the veil in years, why would they come here?" Shepard asked. Ashley only shook her head.

"Where is the beacon, we need to secure it?" Shepard asked.

"The dig site is just down here," Ashley pointed.

Shepard took point and proceeded carefully in the direction Ashley had pointed. She passed several large spikes with humans impaled on them. She had never seen anything so disturbing in all her entire career. She was starting to get a bad feeling and quickened her pace.

Shesaw the dig site ahead, but her suit radar indicated multiple hostiles ahead. She held the team back and pulled out her sniper rifle again. She positioned Williams and Alenko and waited for their fire to drive the Geth from cover. As they fired, she memorized the Geth's positions and took a long deep breath. Her first two shots were nearly in succession, hitting the two Geth troopers dead on.

Alenko and Williams continued firing at the remaining hostiles that had emerged from behind the dig site area. The last Geth was keeping cover so Shepard bided her time. Each time her crew stopped to reload, the remaining Geth would peek out. She waited for the silence and as soon as she saw it move, she fired. The impact shattered the entire machine. They entered the dig site cautiously but there was no sign of the beacon.

"Maybe they will know more at the research camp," Ashley said. "It is just up this hill."

"Let's go," Shepard said. As they moved out, Nihlus radioed that he would meet Shepard at the spaceport.

"Where is the spaceport from here?" Shepard asked Williams.

"Beyond the research camp," Williams replied.

As they came upon the camp they found that it was nearly destroyed. Shepard looked up and saw more colonists impaled on large spikes. She could feel her biotics beginning to surge inside her. The tortured bodies angered her greatly. Her deep breaths were no longer able to calm her. She tried to focus but the tingling of her entire body was distracting. Suddenly the colonists began to writhe and groan, appearing to still be alive. They appeared modified and lunged towards them.

"Fuck!" Shepard screamed as the distorted colonists pulled themselves from the spikes and charged towards them.

The overwhelming anger and surprise let loose her biotics uncontrollably. She threw the three colonists back with a powerful wave of energy. After they fell to the team's gunfire, Shepard examined the bodies. They looked humanoid but were riddled with cybernetic implants. The disturbing part was that they still had the distinct features of their human counterparts.

"What did this?" Williams asked.

Shepard shook her head. The colonists looked like husks of their former selves. As they looked around they found one of the intact buildings with its security system still enabled. Shepard wondered if there were any survivors inside. She was easily able to override the lock and found two scientists inside. "Who are you?" Shepard asked.

"I'm Dr. Warren, one of the researchers. We came back to the camp for some supplies when that huge ship landed. We ran in here," the doctor replied.

"Those machines bring our destruction. With other machines, there will be only darkness," the male scientist interrupted.

"Is he, okay?" Shepard asked. She wondered if he was drunk or on stims.

"Manuel has always been a little, unstable," Dr. Warren replied.

"I've seen it. I've seen the darkness," Manuel went on.

"Where did you take the beacon?" Shepard asked.

"We transferred it to the spaceport to prepare for your arrival," Dr. Warren answered.

"We need to get there," Shepard said. "Stay here and lock the door behind you."

"We cannot hide from it," Manuel said as they left.

"Are you sure you don't want to give him a sedative, Lt. Alenko should have something,"

"No, I already gave him some of his medication. It should kick in soon," Dr. Warren replied.

Shepard hoped Dr. Warren would be safe with the disturbed man. They left and headed immediately towards the space port. An enormous ship could be seen hovering in the distance. The group stood for a moment in awe of its sheer size. They found another group of Geth and Husk creatures guarding the nearby building. Shepard picked them off from afar and they headed into the building complex. Nihlus' body lie next to a stack of cargo crates. "Oh, fuck," Shepard said under her breath. "The council is not going to like this."


	4. Dead Turians Are Always Bad News

Shepard knelt over the dead Turian, whose blue blood stained the ground. "What the hell happened?" she said aloud. "It looks like he only took one shot directly to the back of his head."

"Probably a sniper," Ashley remarked.

Shepard looked around, looking for positions that a trained sniper would take. "There is no good cover position," Shepard said. "A Spectre would spot someone anyone right away. This isn't right."

They heard a noise behind the crates and held up their weapons. A frightened man emerged from the crates. "Don't shoot," he said, holding up his hands.

"Who are you? What the hell are you doing behind there?" Shepard said.

"My name is Powell. I work here on the dock. I was hiding from those things," he said.

"Did you see what happened to Nihlus?" Kaidan asked.

"Yeah, I saw him coming down the hill, the dead one, so I hid. Then the other one, Saren came from the spaceport. He called Nihlus by name, like they knew each other. Then Saren shot him in the back," Powell replied.

"Saren?" Shepard asked.

"That's what the dead Turian called him."

"Another Turian here?" Kaidan wondered.

"It is not like we get a lot of them around here," Powell said.

"Where did this Saren go?" Shepard asked.

"Back towards to spaceport. He took some of those machines with him. They took the cargo train. I think he was looking for the beacon. That is the reason this is all happening."

"There is a shed up the hill. You'll be safer hiding there," Shepard pointed.

Powell left hesitantly, running up the hill towards the shed. "What would another Turian be doing here?" Kaidan wondered.

"We need to get to that beacon fast," Shepard said. "Things are growing more strange by the minute."

They headed towards the cargo train and found the path heavily guarded. Shepard was able to take down most of the hostiles with her rifle along with the help of Ashley and Kaidan. They started up the cargo train and headed towards the space port. When they jumped off the train they found several demolition charges set to explode. Shepard knelt and looked over the control panel. "Great, just what we fucking need," she said. She began hacking into the controls with her omni-tool. "It looks like this is one of four on a relay," Shepard said, deactivating the device. She was easily able to find the fail safe code embedded in the safety controls. "We need to find the others. We don't have much time," she added.

She locked onto the other charges and headed towards them as more Geth fired upon them. Ashley and Kaidan made short work of the Geth forces that surrounded them as Shepard continued disarming the explosives. They continued searching the space port for the beacon. Shepard spotted it near the edge of the space port but found several Geth guarding it.

"We need to take these things down clean and fast or that beacon is as good as gone," Shepard said. She looked carefully through the scope on her rifle. She could see a total of six, including a group of Husks wandering around mindlessly. "I'll take care of the Geth, you two take care of the rest," she said, memorizing the position she needed to fire on. She sent them down the ramp and methodically took down the Geth targets with her rifle. The Husks ran wildly around but Kaidan and Ashley kept them away from the beacon.

The beacon stood glowing, a low hum emanating from it. "Some one must have turned it on," Ashley said. "It wasn't doing that when they found it."  
>"Nihlus is dead. I've tagged his body for retrieval and we've found the beacon. I've sent you the coordinates, we need pick up now," Shepard radioed to the Normandy.<p>

She pulled off her helmet and let out a heavy sigh. Behind the beacon, a large scorched area stood in the path of the large Geth ship. It reminded her of the burnt fields on Mindoir she'd stared at as she lie dying. She had blocked out most of her bad memories from those years but her body still sensed them. She began feeling sick to her stomach and turned away. Kaidan had walked closer to the beacon to examine it.

It began suddenly pulling him towards it, the glowing field around it bursting brighter. "Alenko!" Shepard yelled, diving to push him out of the way. She was immediately pulled into the field. She felt an intense pull on her entire body and a dull pain at the back of her skull. She looked out, but she could no longer see what was around her. She could only see flashes of images surrounded in darkness. She heard horrible screams that hurt her ears. She saw unimaginable horrors by giant machines. The dull pain grew sharper until she lost consciousness.  
> <p>


	5. Nightmares and Fantasies

Shepard woke up on her back, her head still aching. She felt a set of warm fingers lying gingerly on her arm. She opened her eyes to see Kaidan at her side, his hand gently resting on her arm. "She is coming back," Kaidan said, looking down at her. She sat up gingerly, helped by Kaidan's strong arms.

"Are you alright?" Dr. Chakwas asked. "How do you feel?"

"Like after that menage on Carthigan," Shepard said, holding her head. It felt like she had exerted every muscle in her body. She'd never felt weaker in her life. "What the hell happened down there?"

"The beacon exploded, knocked you out. You pushed me out of the way when I got too close to it," Kaidan said.

"Be a little more careful next time," Shepard reprimanded him.

"Sorry," he replied, casting his eyes down.

She felt bad for snapping at him, but she couldn't even blink without her eyelids hurting. She heard someone enter the medical bay and glanced over to see Anderson come in. "Commander, can I have a moment alone when you are feeling better," Anderson said.

"I am fine," Shepard lied, keeping a straight face as she climbed off the medical table in pain. Kaidan and Dr. Chakwas excused themselves, leaving her and the captain to speak in private.

"We've got ourselves one hell of a shit storm," Anderson blurted out. "The beacon was obliterated and one of the Council's best operatives is dead.

"They can't blame us for any of this," Shepard said, the dull pain in her body starting to annoy her.

"I know Shepard, but they will. I already forwarded the mission report. Ambassador Udina has filed a grievance against Saren. I don't know how much good it will do."

"Who the hell is this Saren?" she asked.

"He is another Spectre," Anderson answered. "He hates humans. I wouldn't be surprised if he was behind all this."

"But why go after the beacon. The dock worker said he was looking for the beacon."

"Who knows, but if Saren wanted it, it must be important."

"Well what do we do now?" she asked.  
>"We need to collect evidence against him. Get the Council on our side."<p>

"I'll figure something out.," Shepard said angrily. "I just need to lie down. Did you find Jenkins and Nihlus' out of there?"

Anderson nodded with a frown, shaking his head slightly. Shepard was enraged, she hadn't lost a soldier in her command for years.

"We'll need to set up a meeting when we get to the Citadel. We are a few hours away. Get some rest," Anderson added, leaving her alone in the med bay.

Shepard grabbed some extra medi-gel for her aching muscles and walked out into the mess. She passed Kaidan, who was standing near the mess table. "I am glad you are okay Commander," he waved.

"Sorry I snapped back there. This is just," she apologized.

"I understand," he smiled slightly. "This mission has taken a toll on all of us."

"Thanks for getting me back here. How are you holding up?" she asked.

"I'll manage. I've never had anyone close to me die during a mission. I am not sure how to feel," he sighed and continued. " At least Jenkins died at home. Hopefully his parents survived the attack," he added solemnly.

"I'll make sure they are notified," she said.

"It's been a hell of a first mission," he shook his head.

"I hear you. Where were you stationed before? I've never seen you any ship before," she asked, looking him over again despite her headache.

"I spent a little time on the New York, then got bumped up to the Fiji. What about you, I know you are Special Forces? You must have had your pick of ships after receiving the Star of Terra for what you did on Elysium."

"You keep good tabs on your commanding officers," she smiled slightly.

"Well, you hear stories," he blushed slightly. "You can't enter a mess hall without someone retelling one of your war stories like they were beside you."

"I've been all over. I don't tend to stick one place for very long."

"That must be hard. Or do you prefer it?"

"My parents died when I was young. There isn't much point to settling down, I suppose."

"Oh, I am sorry," he apologized.

"It's fine," she waved him off.

"I heard we are heading for the Citadel? Can you tell me why?"

"The Council needs to be debriefed," she answered furtively.

"Oh," he replied.

"Good work out there today Lieutenant," she smiled, waving goodbye.

Shepard walked over to grab some water before heading to the bunks. Williams was just leaving with a small mug of coffee. "I've been reassigned to the ship," Williams said, taking a long sip of water. "I am looking forward to serving with you Commander."

"Good to have you on board," Shepard replied absently, glancing back at Kaidan, who had sat down to eat.

The glow from the media screens above his head cast an orange glow on his black curls. "Oh, look at that hair, I could just," Shepard fantasized for a moment.

She heard Dr. Chakwas' voice and looked up to see her coming down the nearby steps. She had just come from the cold storage that also served as a morgue.

"You okay?" Shepard asked.

"It is still rattling to be talking to a soldier one minute and pronouncing him the next. He was so young," the doctor replied, with sadness in her voice.

"Alenko seems to be talking it pretty hard," Shepard added. "Were they friends?"

"Yes, I believe so. I think they've served a few tours together. The Lieutenant usually keeps to himself, but he seemed pretty close with Jenkins."

"He is an impressive soldier."

"I thought you'd approve," Chakwas smiled. "I was referring to his combat skills," Shepard grinned. "Oh to be a FNG that didn't have to worry about bedding a subordinate," she shook her head.

"To be twenty years younger," Chakwas laughed. "So you wouldn't take the chance with him?" she pried Shepard.

"I don't know," Shepard replied, looking back at where he sat at the mess table. His uniform fit him well and showed off his lean but muscular physique. His olive skin was covered in a sparse amount of black hair and judging from the five o' clock shadow, that he'd grow a beard in a second. She stood ogling him for another moment before coming back to reality. "Damn it, look what you've done," Shepard rubbed her forehead.

Dr. Chakwas laughed aloud as Kaidan looked up at the two women. "We'll continue this discussion later," Shepard wagged her finger at Chakwas as she blushed.

She headed for the bunks, still thinking about Kaidan. Physically, he was everything she looked for in a man and he seemed kind enough in the few moments she'd spent with him. She sighed heavily and threw herself onto one of the empty bunks. She hadn't broken regs before and he didn't seem like the type to cross that line either. She buried her face in the pillow and fell asleep quickly.


	6. Meetings and Accusations

Shepard was awakened by the one of crew, telling her they had arrived on the Citadel. She felt a little better, but nowhere near 100 percent. She begrudgingly got up and headed back up to the flight deck as they were docking. She had never been to the Citadel before and the view was impressive. "Are you ready Commander?" Anderson asked.

"Am I ever?" she said, rubbing a hand over her eyes. She followed him downstairs with Ashley and Kaidan in tow. They were scanned through Citadel Security and headed towards the embassies. As they walked over, Shepard marveled at the view on the Presidium. It was grand and peaceful for a space station. They arrived at the embassy and found Ambassador Udina speaking with the Council through holo-monitors. After his heated conversation ended he turned to address them.

"You decided to bring the whole ship's crew down?" Udina said with a sneer. Shepard stood beside Anderson, glaring at him.

"This was everyone that hit ground side on Eden Prime," Anderson replied.

"I already read the reports. You better be right about Saren. The Council was none too pleased with your accusations."

"It is the truth," Shepard finally snapped.

"Well Commander Shepard, I sincerely hope it is true, since you botched the entire mission on Eden Prime. Now who knows how long it will be before we get someone into the Spectres," Udina replied.

"Like I give a shit," she spat back. "I did my job there."

"This is Saren's fault," Anderson stepped in. "We need to concentrate on him."

"Come with me Captain, we need to go over some details before the meeting. Shepard, you have a few hours before the meeting, I suggest you get your story straight," Udina said, cowering away from Shepard.

He walked out with Captain Anderson following after him. "Get my story straight," Shepard said, giving him the finger.

"I really hate that guy," Ashley said. "He spoke at my academy graduation."

"Yeah, he is one asshole I'd like to see blown out of an airlock," Shepard frowned.

"You don't have anything to worry about Commander," Kaidan added. "I will back you up in there. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Thanks Lieutenant," she smiled.

As they headed out of the embassy office, she found her eyes drifting down his body. His light armor hugged his toned physique as well. She had the sudden urge to smack him on the behind but she shook the idea out of her wandered around the Presidium for a few hours before they were called to the Citadel Tower.

As they rode the elevator, Shepard was anxious to hear what the council would say about the failed Eden Prime mission. They climbed out of the elevator and walked through the impressive council chambers. They walked past two Turians that were arguing and one of them flagged her down as the other walked away in disgust.

"You must be Shepard," the Turian waved a three-fingered hand at her. Shepard nodded in reply. "Garrus Vakarian," he introduced himself. "I was put on your case investigating Saren."

"Did you manage to find anything?" she asked.

"I didn't have enough time and most of his files are classified. I think they only put me on the investigation for show."

"Damn it," she swore under her breath.

"Look, I know Saren is up to something, I can feel it. I'll keep looking,."

Shepard thanked the Turian and continued up the stairs towards the proper council chambers. Udina had already begun his discussion with the council. Shepard hated looking late and had the overwhelming urge to punch Udina in the back of the head as she walked up behind him. The Council was not happy with the accusations. Shepard was surprised that Saren had been invited to the meeting via hologram. "So Captain Anderson, this is the executive officer you chose to ruin a perfectly simple mission?" Saren said. "Destroying a valuable galactic artifact. That sounds more like grounds for treason to me."

"And how exactly do you know about the beacon? The mission was classified?" Shepard asked.

"I received Nihlus' work after he passed," Saren replied with a sneer.

"And the dock worker who magically pulled your name out of thin air?" she asked.

"Perhaps Nihlus mentioned me. We were friends."

"That's bull shit!" she replied.

"Exactly the words I'd expect from a human."

"What if I said fuck off, instead."

"You humans don't seem to understand how the universe works yet. I can't imagine why Nihlus thought you were ready to join the Spectres."

The ambassador quickly interjected. "You don't have any say in the matter. Shepard's admission is the choice of the Council."

"And here you are wasting the Council's time with these baseless accusations," Saren said venomously.

"There is no more need for argument," the Asari ambassador interrupted. "There is no evidence to support your claim of treason, Ambassador. Commander Shepard, is there anything you would like to add regarding the destruction of the beacon?"

"Why bother," Shepard said, turning and walking away.

"This hearing is adjourned," she heard the Asari say as she walked away. She rejoined Ashley and Kaidan who were waiting downstairs. She only shook her head in disbelief. "Some fucking meeting," she sneered under her breath.

She was soon joined by Anderson and Udina. "I should have never brought you along," Udina reprimanded Anderson. "Your history with Saren makes us look suspicious. And the foul mouth of your XO didn't help things."

Shepard glared at him but said nothing. She began cracking her knuckles in anger. "What kind of history do you have with Saren?" she asked Anderson.

"We were on a mission together long ago. Needless to say, things didn't go as planned. We shouldn't talk about it now. We need to find evidence on Saren. I know he is up to something," Anderson replied.

"What do we do? His files are classified, not even the investigator could find anything."

"That Turian said he was still going to continue his investigation. Maybe he can help us?" Kaidan added.

"I have a contact in C-Sec, he might be able to help you get in contact with him. His name is Harkin," Udina replied.

"Forget it, he got suspended a month ago. I'll find some way to track this investigator down," Anderson added.

"No, I want you completely out of this investigation," Udina said. "I want Shepard to handle all of it."

"Where can I find this Harkin?" she asked.

"He is a drunk loser," Anderson replied. "I'd check all the local bars down in the wards. Chora's Den or maybe Dark Star."

"It is too early for most drinkers, even raging alcoholics," Shepard looked at the clock on her omni-tool.

"You might also try a banker named Barla Von. There are rumors he works for the Shadow Broker. It could be our best lead to find evidence on Saren," Anderson added.

"I'll go speak with him," Shepard replied.  
> <p>


	7. Tracking Down Leads

Shepard left the Citadel Tower with Kaidan and Ashley and walked across the lake towards the financial district. "This looks like the place," Shepard said, seeing a small sign labelled 'Barla Von, Financier' near the door. They walked inside and found the Volus banker taking a call. He waved for them to wait and ended the call quickly.

"Commander Shepard, what brings you into my humble office?" Barla Von asked.

"You know who I am?" Shepard asked.

"I receive reports on all the important new arrivals at the Citadel. What can I do for you Commander?"

"I was wondering if you might have information on Saren Arterius? I heard you were the man to talk to about getting information?" she asked.

"Yes, I am the right person to speak to," the Volus breathed heavily.

"I also heard it is expensive."

"My information is pricey, but you've come at the right time. A man named Fist, who may have information about Saren, has recently displeased the Shadow Broker. Plans are already in motion to take care of him," the Volus said.

"How so?"

"Talk to a Krogan named Wrex, he is a bounty hunter. Last I heard he was down in C-Sec. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, you've been very helpful."

"If you ever find yourself with a good sum of credits, be sure to stop by."

Shepard nodded and thanked him for his help. They left the financial district and headed back towards C-Sec. "I am sure this Wrex will be easy to find," Ashley said. "You don't see many Krogans around here."

They found their way to Citadel Security but didn't see any Krogans around. "I guess we can head for the bar, try to track down this Harkin," Shepard said.

They entered the wards and found them to be as loud and bustling as expected. Kaidan seemed slightly uncomfortable by the lights and noise. They walked around, inquiring at a few other bars before heading to Chora's Den. It was a tiny club, with only a few seedy lights and dirty tables. It stunk of alien sweat and Turian cigars.

"Charming," Shepard frowned as they walked inside. Kaidan looked around curiously, blushing bashfully at the scantily clad dancers. "This is where Captain Anderson wants us to hunt down leads?" Ashley shook her head.

"Hey handsome, how about a dance?" a woman came along and ran her hand down Kaidan's chest.

"No thank you," Kaidan grinned, his eyes squinting slightly with embarrassment.

"Hey, Candy," Shepard snapped at the dancer in jealousy. "We are looking for a guy named Harkin? You seen him around?"

"You're with that loser," the woman instantly changed her tone. "He's the idiot over in the corner that doesn't know how to tip."

"Thanks, now get out of here," Shepard replied.

They found Harkin half drunk, drooling over a human bartender. "If you aren't taking off your clothes, get out of the way, sweet tits," he said as Shepard stood in his way.

"Have some respect for the lady!" Kaidan barked at him.

"Relax Jarhead!" Harkin dismissed him. "What the hell do you want?"

"I'm looking for Garrus Vakarian. You used to work with him?"

"Yeah, I did. What do I get if I tell you?"

"You don't get my fist in the side of your jaw, how about we start there?" Shepard sneered.  
>"I didn't come down to this shit hole to get jerked around."<p>

"I thought maybe it would work the other way around," he winked at her.

She knew he was never going to cooperate and jammed her heavy boot down on his foot and grabbed him by the collar. "How about I show you the three finger Turian Choke Grip instead? Tell me where I can find Garrus before I lose more of my patience."

He agreed in a pitiful tone, taking his injured foot into his hand. "He was going to talk to some doctor on the Wards. Michel or something like that."

Thanks," she snapped in a dismissive tone and turned to walk away.

"You're a real piece of work!" Harkin called out, as they left.

"Do you interrogate everyone like that?" Kaidan wondered.

"Normally I'm a pussy cat," Shepard grinned at him.

"That guy was an ass," Ashley added. "No wonder he got suspended."

They headed towards the doors to leave, Shepard already getting a headache from the cigar smoke. "I heard you were looking for me," a Krogan said from the corner of the bar, as they passed.

"Wrex, I presume?" Shepard said, stopping in her tracks.

"I saw how you handled that idiot human. I like your style," he replied. "And I heard you are going after Saren."

"I am," she replied. "Do you know anything about what Fist knows?"

"All I know is that he betrayed the Shadow Broker and is working for Saren now. I'm getting paid to kill Fist, Saren, we've got history," Wrex said. " Fist left earlier but he will be back later tomorrow. And when he comes back, I'll be waiting for him."

"Well Saren's got his fingers in everyone's pie, doesn't he?" Shepard remarked.

Wrex seemed confused by the human colloquialism. "We have a common enemy then," she added, motioning to shake his hand. He shook it back but gripped it too tightly. "Shit," she said, shaking her hand after he let go.

"I'll have a few questions for Fist. You'll let me talk to him first, right?" she asked.

"Sure," Wrex replied.

"Let's reconvene sometime tomorrow."

"Agreed," he nodded. "Fist will probably know we are coming and will have men waiting. There is a place that sells fried Varren a few blocks down, let's meet there at 10 hundred."

Wrex walked away from them casually. Shepard watched as he began scanning the bar for cover spots and choke points. "Maybe this won't be so hard after all," she thought to herself. A Krogan ally would be formidable."

"Are you sure we can trust a Krogan bounty hunter?" Ashley asked.

"I am not going to hand him the keys to the Normandy. But he seems like he can help," Shepard replied.

"What now?" Kaidan asked.

"I still want to talk to Vakarian. The more info we can get against Saren, the better," she replied.

Shepard and her team walked around the Wards until they were able to locate a public directory. Shepard searched for any doctors named Michel that were located on the Citadel. "It looks like there is one listing for Michel. Some medical clinic," she said. She forwarded the data to her omni-tool and led the team towards the Upper Wards.

They easily located the clinic but found it closed. "Damn it," Shepard swore.

"It's late Commander, maybe we can find something out tomorrow," Kaidan said.

"Hold on," she said, approaching the door. "It sounds like there is someone inside." She put her ear close to the door. She tore off a small panel and began searching for the door controls.

"Commander, is this, uh, legal?" Kaidan asked. She held up her hand to quiet him. She had found the door controls and was preparing to bypass the locks. She pulled her pistol from her side. She motioned for Ashley and Kaidan to get on the other side of the door. She rigged the controls and the doors slide open. When she took a quick glance inside she could see Garrus hidden partially in the shadows. She could hear more arguing inside. She motioned to Garrus that she was moving inside.

She stayed low to the ground and moved inside, holding Ashley and Kaidan back. "Hey!" Shepard yelled, as she saw a man round the corner, pulling a woman by the arm. Garrus popped up and fired a single shot that hit the man right between the eyes. The woman shrieked in terror. "Get down," Shepard grabbed her leg. She could hear rustling in the back of the clinic.

She motioned her squad to enter and proceeded towards the back of the clinic. "Nice of you to show up Shepard," Garrus laughed.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked.

"I'll explain later," he said, moving quickly towards the back.

They found more men holed up in the back room. "Damn it! All I wanted to do was go on vacation!" Shepard yelled over the gunfire as a round whizzed past her head. They dispatched the three men and checked on the frightened female doctor. "Dr. Michel?" Shepard asked.

"Thank you for saving my life," the doctor replied.

"What did those men want?" Shepard turned to Garrus.

"They were here on behalf of Fist," Garrus replied.

"Yeah, I heard of him. I also heard he is working for Saren now."

"I didn't know this," Dr. Michel said. "I had a young Quarian come to me a few days ago. She was looking for a safe house. I think she was on the run. She had a nasty infection from a gunshot wound. I sent her to Fist. She had information to sell, so I told her to contact him so he could get in touch with the Shadow Broker."

"When was she supposed to meet him?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Dr. Michel replied.

"We are supposed to meet a Krogan tomorrow morning who is going after Fist. Maybe we can get some answers out of him."

"Yeah, I saw Wrex down in C-Sec. Are you sure it is safe to trust him?" Garrus asked.

"He said he was going after Saren next, so that is good enough for me," she answered.

"Then I am coming too, just in case," Garrus replied.

"Are you able to help us while you are with C-Sec?" Shepard asked.

"I quit right after the Council dismissed the charges against Saren. I am sick of this bureaucratic bullshit. I know Saren is up to something. I can feel it."

"Let's meet back up at 10 hundred. Wrex said their is some place that sells fried Varren."

"Yeah, I know the place. I'll, uh, get this mess cleaned up," Garrus said, glancing over at the bodies in the clinic.

They left Garrus and headed back out into the wards. "Should we contact the Ambassador?" Kaidan asked.

"Let's wait until we get something concrete," Shepard replied. "We wouldn't want to disappoint the bastard," she smiled.

"Then I guess we will just head back to the Alliance barracks then," he added.

"I've got a place here in the wards," Shepard replied. "I contact you both in the morning."

"Sounds good Commander," Ashley said. 


	8. Tracking Down Libidos

Shepard left the two soldiers, taking one last look at Kaidan and found her way to the apartment district. Her apartment was several floors up and overlooked the rest of the ward arms. "Shit, this place is impressive," she thought, glancing out the window. The apartment was a gift from the Alliance when she received the Star of Terra. It was small but she didn't have to pay for it, so she was pleased. She was even more happy about the Hanar built whirlpool tub in the bathroom. She immediately undressed, leaving her clothes strewn across the apartment. She turned on some music and languished in the tub for a while.

She climbed out of the tub, feeling invigorated. "Damn it, I need to get laid," she thought to herself as the sexy, dark music filled the apartment. She thought about Kaidan's firm backside that she had memorized as they rode the elevator. She knew she needed to clear her head so she got dressed and headed down to the closest bar. She wasn't much of a drinker but the alcohol would let her get a good nights' sleep and help her forget about her sultry subordinate.

She threw on a little makeup and pulled her hair down from the braided bun in stayed in while on duty. She shook out her long wavy red locks and looked at herself in the mirror. She frowned her bottom lip, looking at the scar she had right below it. She gotten it on Elysium during the Blitz. She had many scars elsewhere, but this was the only one on her face.

She sidled up to the bar and ordered a sweet drink to put her mind at ease. She could hear Kaidan in her head calling her 'Commander' in his husky toned voice. She knew there was only one thing that would get him out of her head but that wasn't an option. She sipped her drink and closed her eyes, trying to form a plan of attack for the morning. "Hello," a man's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned with disdain but was pleased to see a handsome brunette next to her. "You seem to be nursing that drink. Would you like another one?" he asked.

"No, I just need one to put me to bed," she smiled.

"Do you live here on the Citadel?" the man asked.

"No, this is my first time," she lied.

"Then let me be the first to welcome you," he smiled.

They chatted for a while, Shepard turning on the charm heavily. If she couldn't have Kaidan, she could at least get something to tide her over. They seemed to be hitting it off and Shepard was just about to give him her omni-tool number when she saw Kaidan walk past beside Ashley. She felt an immediate sense of jealousy and got up to follow them. "Where are you going?" the man asked.

"Here is my omni-tool code," she said, hastily sending him her number. "Send me a message later," she smiled and excused herself.

"But you didn't get your name?" he yelled as she left. He seemed quite surprised at her swift departure.

"It's Ashley," Shepard waved goodbye.

She walked out of the bar and searched for where Kaidan and Ashley had gone. She looked around but didn't see them. She didn't know why she had stormed out but she felt an insane amount of jealousy regarding Kaidan. She walked down a few more blocks but saw no sign of them. "Damn it," she thought. "I'll get that horny bitch!" She was about to go home when she heard someone calling her name.

"Shepard, is that you?" Ashley asked, walking up behind her with Kaidan in tow. "I hardly recognized you."

"Oh, hi," Shepard smiled.

"Commander," Kaidan smiled. His eyes looked widely at her.

"What are you two up?" Shepard asked, trying to seem casual and not upset at seeing the two of them together.

"We just came down here to get something to eat," Kaidan replied. "Would you like to join us, uh, if you don't have plans." He looked at her curiously.

"I'd love to come. I was down here to eat as well," she lied. She was glad to be interrupting any plans Ashley had on making a move on Kaidan.

She walked with Kaidan and Ashley as they searched for a decent restaurant. They found a small Terran restaurant that didn't look too busy. The two other soldiers seemed interested to hear about her war stories and many commendations. "I remember watching the news vid when you received your Star of Terra," Kaidan said.

"It's been almost seven years," Shepard thought back.

"I'd wear something like that around my neck," Ashley added.

"Someone had it framed and hung up in my apartment," Shepard replied. It was another thing collecting dust in the apartment she never lived in before.

"You probably have a wall full of medals?" Kaidan smiled. "You have almost every commendation an Alliance soldier can get."

"Jeez, it sounds like you have a crush on the Commander," Ashley joked.

Kaidan blushed slightly and lowered his head. Shepard could see that he was embarrassed. "It's fine," Shepard said, reassuringly. "I think they send out a newsletter highlighting my career. Orphan Girl Gets Batarian Baddies, I think the headline reads."

They finished dinner and Shepard half thought of inviting them out for drinks. She wondered if Kaidan would loosen up after a few. She didn't really want to drag Ashley along but it wouldn't seem appropriate to exclude her. She'd like to see Kaidan drunk, maybe do a little harmless groping that he would forget in the morning. "Well, we should probably head out," Kaidan interrupted her growing devious thoughts. "We are supposed to meet Garrus and Wrex in the morning," he added.

"Uh, good idea Lieutenant," Shepard said, snapping out of her fantasy. "We can meet up at that restaurant."

They headed back towards the housing blocks, leaving the markets behind. Shepard said goodbye, giving Kaidan one last look before slipping into the elevator at the apartment blocks. "Fuck," she thought. "Was I really thinking about getting a subordinate drunk and taking advantage of him?"

She wanted to talk to her VI therapist. She got back to her apartment and turned on the extranet. She stretched out on the couch and reclining back on the cushions. "Hello, Rachael, how are you feeling today?" the VI asked in a mechanical voice.

"Well, I didn't get to go on that vacation you recommended. Instead I got sent on what was supposed to be a simple mission, but it turned out to be a huge cluster fuck," she replied to the virtual therapist.

"How does that make you feel?" the VI responded.

"Pissed off. Frustrated as usual. I should be sipping some fruity drink after having fucked my brains out with some sexy Earth-born."

"You are having the usual problems with your libido? Have you been performing your calming exercises?"

"Yeah," she lied. "But they aren't helping much."

"Have you been acting out your frustrations?"

"I haven't had time. I saved up my sexual energy for this vacation but got put on this mission.  
>Work usually helps me but there are complications this time."<p>

"What sort of complications?"

"There is this guy. Well, he is a subordinate who I am working with. And he..."

"You are attracted to him?"

"Yes," she grinned, stretching out more thinking about Kaidan.

"What are you attracted to?"

"His dark hair, his golden skin, his perfect ass, oh and that voice," she recoiled slightly.

"Those are all physical things, Rachael. What have we discussed about personality?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But he seems nice."

"In our last session we talked about not focusing on physical appearance. That is the only way you will be able to form a steady relationship. Your past seven relationships have been based solely on physical attractiveness."

"I know," she sighed. Her omni-tool vibrated with a message from the man she had met in the bar, Alain. She kicked her legs in frustration. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she said in a mocking tone.

"Would you like to talk about your parents?" the VI asked, after the lull in conversation.

"No," Shepard replied. "I think that is all for now."

"Have a pleasant day, and remember I am always here to talk," the VI signed off.

Shepard pulled herself from the couch and undressed. She climbed into bed, relieved to sleep in a real bed for once. She was used to sleeping in small bunks and sleeper pods. "I guess this is just as good as a vacation," she thought, sprawling herself out on the bed. She fell asleep quickly, tired from the past events of the last few days. 


	9. Firefight

Though Shepard fell asleep quickly, she didn't sleep well. She awoke several times from nightmares like the vision she had on Eden Prime. She could hear screaming among the sound of mechanical whirling. She could see bodies torn apart and slaughtered. She felt sick and decided to get up. She looked through some mail and browsed the extranet before napping on the couch for a little while.

She dressed and headed down to eat breakfast. Her nightmares didn't help her appetite, so she didn't eat much. At the allotted time, she went down to the lower wards and found the aforementioned cafe with fried varren. Wrex was already waiting for her, shotgun in hand.

"Shepard," he nodded.

"What's the situation?" she asked.

"Fist is already inside," he growled. "I am just waiting on you."

The rest of the team arrived and they formed a plan of action. They would go in quiet and avoid trouble. They cautiously approached Chora's Den. It was locked up but Kaidan was able to hack the security controls. The place was barricaded by Fist's thugs and bodyguards, armed to the teeth. The Krogan bouncers put up the only real fight, the rest of the thugs were no match for their combined training.

They continued through the empty club and entered a small warehouse. "Fist has got to be back here," Wrex said. "There is no other way out."

They entered an office and heard rustling sounds behind the desk. "Fist?" Shepard yelled. "I just want to talk."

"Fuck you!" Fist yelled, activating two gun turrets hidden behind bookshelf panels. They fired constantly on them, stopping only for a few seconds to cool down. Shepard found their override codes and kept the guns firing until they overheated. They took the opportunity to fire a few warning shots at the desk Fist cowered under.

"Okay, okay, I surrender," Fist finally called. Shepard stepped over the toppled couches and found him huddled under the desk. He'd been shot in the foot by a lucky bullet.

"This could have been a amiable conversation," she snarled, dragging him by the leg he had been shot in. Fist cried out in pain. "Dr. Michel sent a Quarian to see you. Where is she?"

"She wanted to see the Shadow Broker. She had information on Saren. I lied and told her I was setting up a meeting where she could sell the information," he cried, shielding himself from the pistols aimed at him.

"And since you are working for Saren, I am sure that isn't who she is really meeting," Garrus replied.

"Saren's men will be waiting for her. A Turian and a couple Salarian mercs."

"Where is this meeting supposed to take place?" she bent down, and stuck her pistol right in his face.

"The wards, an alley nearby. She was supposed to meet them this morning."

"If we don't find her, we are coming back for you," she sneered, and stood up.

As she turned to walk away Wrex shot Fist point blank in the chest with his shotgun. "Fuck!" Shepard yelled, startled. "Give me some warning!"

"We've got bigger problems," Wrex snarled. "Just making sure the job got done. If we don't find that Quarian soon, she is as good as dead."

When they returned back to bar area they found more of Fist's gang. "Fist is dead. You idiots might as well go find another profession," Shepard yelled out from behind the bar. The men didn't seem to care and continued firing on them. "We don't have time for this," Shepard yelled, tossing a high explosive grenade out. "Take cover," she yelled. The grenade shook the entire bar but the left the club in silence. Garrus peeked over the bar to access the damage.

"Um, might not want to go out that way," he said, his fringe lowering in disgust.

They left the smoke-filled bar and headed towards the back alleys of the wards. They split up, Shepard sending Ashley and Garrus down one area and taking Kaidan and Garrus down another. They finally found the Quarian engaged in a fire fight with three men.

"No grenades this time Shepard," Garrus laughed, reveling in the action as he fired.

The three men were easily taken down, leaving the alley a mess. The Quarian stepped out from the crate she had hidden behind. "Damn that Fist! I should have never trusted him," she yelled. "Thank you for helping me. Who are you?"

"Shepard. I am with the Alliance. I heard you might have information on Saren?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, but," the Quarian paused.

"Let's get out of here," Shepard interrupted. "This place may be crawling with more of Fist's thugs soon."

"We can take her to the embassy," Kaidan suggested.

"This way," Shepard ordered.

They left the alley in disarray and headed towards the Presidium. They found Udina waiting for them. "What the hell is going on Commander?" he asked. "I just received a call that some Alliance officers were seen leaving Chora's Den, which was virtually destroyed."

"Just doing my job," Shepard sneered.

"And the reason why you've brought a Krogan, Turian, and Quarian into my office?" he asked.

"I am bringing you the evidence so your claim of treason doesn't look like a lie. Saren was trying to kill this Quarian. She can connect Saren to the Geth."

"Is that right, Miss?" Udina asked the Quarian.

"My name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," she replied.

"What kind of evidence?" Udina asked.

"I was out on my Pilgrimage. I heard reports about Geth in the area. I was able to extract one of their memory cores."

"What was on the core?" Shepard asked.

"Not much, but there was this," Tali said, playing an audio clip from her omni-tool.

"That is Saren's voice. This proves he has a connection to the Geth and the attack on Eden Prime," Anderson interrupted.

"There was something else. There is another voice on the recording," Tali said, replaying the clip.

"Sounds like Saren is working with someone else," Udina said.

"What the hell are Reapers? That sounds, familiar?" Shepard paused.

"Data on the memory core said they were another machine race. They wiped out the Protheans fifty-thousand years ago."

Shepard held her head slightly. She felt a twinge behind her eyes as she thought back about the vision she had on Eden Prime. "The Reapers, that's who I saw in my vision. It was some sort of warning."

"It sounds like Saren is trying to find them," Kaidan added.

"Well, this ought to make the Council eat their own words," Udina smirked. "I will contact them right now to set up a meeting."

"Let's think about our next move in the meantime," Shepard said. "Will you be okay?" Shepard asked Tali.

"I'll be fine, but I want to help you. Stopping the Geth is important to my people. I will help you anyway I can," Tali replied.

"Very well," Shepard agreed. "But I want you to get checked out first. Dr. Michel said your infection was pretty severe."

Tali agreed and said she would head down to the medical clinic right away. "Garrus, why don't you go with her, check on Dr. Michel too," Shepard added.

"Sure thing Shepard," Garrus replied.

He walked out with Tali as Udina managed to get the Council to agree to a meeting later in the afternoon. "Get cleaned up Shepard, this is going to be an important meeting," Anderson replied, looking down at Shepard's bloodstained armor.

"Full dress?" Shepard asked.

"Please," Anderson replied.

"Let's get some lunch too," Shepard turned to Ashley and Kaidan. She had suddenly regained her appetite.  
> <p>


	10. Some Much Needed Action

They headed for the Alliance barracks to change. Shepard had to borrow a dress uniform and met back up with Ashley and Kaidan outside. They walked to another restaurant for lunch. Kaidan sat across from Shepard and she watched him eat. He had a hearty appetite, finishing his large meal in its entirety. "You sure do like to eat," Shepard laughed, looking down at his clean plate.

"Yeah, I guess," he blushed. "It comes with being a biotic."

"I heard you guys get a bigger meals," Ashley said.

"We expend a lot of calories. I am not entirely sure how it works," he replied.

Shepard felt hot and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. The more she was around Kaidan, the more he interested her. His eyes creased when he smiled, though he rarely showed any teeth. She couldn't help but smile when she was around him. She remembered the message she had received from Alain, the man she'd met in the bar. She wanted to meet up with him after they presented the evidence to the Council. She needed something to take her mind of Kaidan. She sent him a message and he replied that he was eager to see her again.

She returned from the bathroom and rejoined Ashley and Kaidan. Ashley was chastising Kaidan for ordering dessert. "I always leave room too," Shepard said, with a smile. "We need to get going soon though."

Kaidan hurriedly finished his dessert, leaving a bit of chocolate on the side of his mouth. "Lieutenant," she motioned with her finger. He tried in vain to reach the smudge.

"Did I get it?" he asked.

"Here," she said, taking a hand to his face. She wiped the chocolate from the side of his mouth, letting her finger linger for a moment.

"Thanks," he blushed.

"Let's get going," Shepard said, lowering her eyes. She turned to see Ashley trying to stifle her laughter. "Lead the way, Chief," Shepard sneered.

They headed towards the Citadel Tower, finding Udina already presenting the evidence to the Council. It was five minutes before the meeting was supposed to start. "Why the hell does he always start without me?" she wondered. "What an asshole," she said under her breath. Udina replayed the message and the Council seemed thoroughly shocked.

"Well, this evidence does indeed implicate Saren in the attack. We find in favor of your accusation of treason. He will be stripped of his Spectre status and we will make every effort to apprehend him," the Turian councilor replied.  
>"An effort?" Shepard scoffed. "We need to track him down now, before someone gets hurt."<p>

"He won't have any authority anymore. He will persued as a fugitive on the run," the Asari councilor added.

"You think that is going to stop him? He is trying to bring back the Reapers. He is a threat to the entire galaxy!" she insisted.

"Shepard is right!" Udina interrupted. "I am not going to stand by and wait for Saren to attack another human colony. I demand action! Send your fleets in."

"It was your people's choice to settle in the Traverse. We cannot risk a war with the Terminus Systems by sending an entire fleet in for one man," the Salarian councilor replied.

"Then send me in instead," Shepard replied. "I found the evidence against Saren and I want to take him down."

"Nihlus wanted Shepard in the Spectres, it is about time you make a decision," Udina said.

The Councilors looked at each other in silent agreement. "Very well Shepard. We would like to welcome you to the branch of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. Your job will be to answer to the Council in any affairs we deem a threat to galactic stability," the Asari recited.

"Where do I start?" Shepard asked.

"We will gather whatever information pertains to your mission and forward it to the ambassador," the Asari councilor added.

"You won't regret this," Shepard nodded.

She followed the ambassador and Anderson down to the stairs where Ashley and Kaidan were waiting. "Congratulations Commander," Kaidan smiled.

"Thank you," Shepard grinned back at him.

"We've got a lot of preparation Shepard," Udina smiled. He seemed quite pleased that he finally got his Human Spectre. "Captain Anderson and I will get to work straight away," he added.

Shepard felt relieved that something was finally getting done. She didn't care much about her new status as a Spectre. She was ready to take down Saren and make him pay for what happened on Eden Prime. "What happens now Commander?" Kaidan asked.

"We just wait for leads now," she replied. "I don't know what will happen next."  
>"Well, if they pull us off this mission, I will be glad to have served with you," Kaidan nodded.<p>

"Thank you Lieutenant," Shepard replied, wanting to ravish him suddenly.

She wanted him to stay on but knew he'd only be a distraction. She returned to her apartment to try to clear her head. She was anxious for Alain to arrive and half hoped he wouldn't show up. He arrived on time however and Shepard had to shove the pistol she'd left out under her datapad.

"Hi," she smiled as she opened the door.

"I thought we might go out someplace?" he asked. "Another bar maybe?"

She pulled him inside and kissed him immediately. "You really get to the point?" he smiled. She pulled him towards the bed and pushed him down on it. She climbed on top of him and started quickly on his pants. She thought about Kaidan as she tore his clothes off. It wasn't the first time she had fantasized about someone else while with another person. She just kept telling herself "don't call him Kaidan, don't call him Kaidan." 


	11. Guns and Other Toys

Shepard woke up late in the morning after another terrible nights' sleep. She'd made Alain leave after she had finished with him. She dreamt about both Kaidan and the Reapers and woke up in a worse mood than she had been before. She finally climbed into the shower and let her face rest against the cool glass. "What the hell is wrong with me?" she asked herself as the hot water flowed down her body.

She checked her messages on the extranet and found a note from Ambassador Udina. He wanted to see her right away. She lingered in her apartment for a while, not caring about being prompt with Udina's request. When she finally arrived on the Presidium she passed a man who began waving at her, fervently trying to get her attention. "Do I know you? she asked, stopping in front of him.

"Oh, no, I am just a fan of yours Shepard. You are a hero!" the man gushed.

"I try my best," she replied, slightly weirded out by his enthusiasm. "Nice to meet you."

"It's Conrad. Conrad Verner. Say, you wouldn't mind signing my data pad would you?" he asked.

"Uh, sure," she complied. She took the small stylus from him and scribbled her name hastily on the data pad. "There you go," she said, handing it back to him.

"Good luck Shepard! Keep up the good fight!" he yelled as she walked away.

She entered Udina's office and found the Ambassador and Captain Anderson waiting for her. Captain Anderson looked like he'd had a rough night of sleep as well. "We've been able to make all the arrangements for you Shepard. You will be taking over command of the Normandy and its crew," Udina said.

"What? What about Captain Anderson?" Shepard asked.

"I'll be staying here to help Ambassador Udina. You don't need me there Shepard. You are ready for this," Anderson replied.

"I, I don't know what to say?"

"This is a good things Shepard. You need a ship and the Normandy is the best in the fleet," Anderson added.

"Do we have any leads?" she asked. She could see that Anderson wasn't pleased with the situation but she didn't want to talk to him in front of Udina.

"Saren has disappeared. Now that he has been exposed, he won't show his face anywhere public. We will just have to begin following the trail of the Geth," Anderson said.

"There are reports of Geth around the colony on Feros and the planet Noveria," Udina added.

"Is the colony alright?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"We don't know," Anderson replied. "We lost contact with them a few days ago."

"I'll head there straight away," Shepard replied.

"Keep in mind Shepard," Udina warned. "You were with the Alliance before you became a Spectre. You are a reflection of humanity. I don't need to clean up another mess like what happened down in Chora's Den."

"I'll do whatever is necessary to stop Saren," she glared. "Spinning that is your problem."

He looked at her angrily but couldn't find the appropriate words for a rebuke. She walked out, and found that Captain Anderson had followed her. "I am sorry Captain," she apologized. "I doubt this was much of a choice for you. What will you do now?"

"Don't worry about it Shepard. I had my chance. You needed the Normandy to get into the Traverse. If that means I retire, so be it," he replied.

"I still don't like it."

"That's politics Shepard. I know that you will get the job done."

"I'll do whatever it takes," she added.

"I didn't want to mention this in front of Udina, since he doesn't put much stock in your vision but the Asari Councilor recognized the other voice on the recording the Quarian brought. She is an Asari Martriarch named Benezia."

"What would an Asari Martriarch be doing around with Saren?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know. But she has a daughter. A doctor studying the Protheans. She may be working for Saren as well. She was last seen somewhere in the Artemis Tau cluster studying Prothean ruins."

"Looking for evidence of the Reapers, maybe?" she wondered.

"It is your mission," he shook her hand. "Good luck Shepard. I will be here if you need anything. And I will try to keep Udina out of your hair."

"I appreciate it sir."

She left Anderson and headed back to her apartment to begin packing back up. She ordered the crew to return to the Normandy by 1700 hours. She had her few things sent to the Normandy and headed down to the markets pick up a few supplies for the mission.

She purchased a few toiletry items she was running low on and found herself wandering into a store called Kolar's Wet Dreams. It was an inter-species sex shop, but Shepard had wandered in because of the name of the store. "Kolar!" she called out to the Hanar she recognized.

"This One humbly greets you Shepard," Kolar said in a pleased tone, his body flashing happily.

"What are you doing on the Citadel? And selling porn no less?" she joked. Kolar had once owned a shop on a fuel depot she'd frequented on several of her missions. They had become friends through Shepard's constant patronage.

"It came to the Citadel when a new opportunity opened up. This One's brother passed on to be with the Enkindlers, leaving a shop available for this One's use."

"And your brother sold porn?" Shepard smiled.

"This One sells items for pleasurable entertainment and stress relief," Kolar replied.

"I know Kolar. Show me around," Shepard laughed.

"This One has a new shipment of underwater vibrating apparatus," Kolar said, showing her a case of devices. He pulled one of the devices out with a tentacle and began showing it to Shepard. "I am sensing high levels of stress in your tone of voice," Kolar began. "This item is designed for humans and provides seven pulsating options. This One would humbly give a discount to its good friend Shepard."

She took the device and held it in her hand. She had other toys to tide her over but this seemed like something worth trying out, especially with Kaidan remaining on board. The price was pretty steep but the craftsmanship looked fine and Kolar's discount helped. "I'll take it," Shepard said. "What else do you have?"

Kolor showed her around the store but she only ended up buying the vibrator. "Still the best damn salesmen, er, squid in the galaxy," Shepard thought as she paid. Despite the discount, the item was still fairly pricey. She said goodbye to Kolar who surprised her by giving her a slight hug with his tentacles.

"So long Kolar," Shepard said, feeling slightly strange with two tentacles wrapped around her.

"This One hopes you will return soon," Kolar added.

Shepard left the store and headed down to C-Sec to look at some new guns. She was curious to browse the Spectre weapons she now had access to. She found the requisition officer quite knowledgeable in guns. "I have a Volkov sniper rifle that I like. Is there anything in comparison?" she asked him.

"Yes, the HMWSR X is quite similar. A little better recoil and it will fire four consecutive shots before overheat," he replied, opening a cabinet and showing her the display gun.

"Hm, a little heavy," she said, shouldering the weapon.

"I've heard you get used to it quickly," he replied. "The scope is also superb quality."

She glanced through the site, looking up the stair way. The sight was clear and crisp.

"Alright, I'll take it," she replied. "What do you have in pistol capacity?"

He showed her a few more pistols. She was torn between the Stiletto X and the HMWP X. She liked the aesthetic of the shiny red Stiletto more, but the HMWP had the power. She went with power and purchased the HMWP pistol as well. The req officer returned with her new guns, tucked away in their own cases. She carried them happily up to the docking bay alongside her sex toy. 


	12. I Should Go

Shepard found herself embarking onto the Normandy at the same time as Kaidan. She tried to hide the bag that held her sex toy, the bright logo of the store emblazoned across the side. "New guns?" Kaidan asked as they waited in the decontamination chamber together.

"Yeah, I figure I needed a little more firepower in my life," she held in laughter, thinking about the vibrator in her bag.

"I'm glad they've let us all stay on," Kaidan added. "I think it is only right we get to track down Saren."

"This is a good crew. I am glad you are here, um all of you," she stumbled over her words, grinning at him widely.

He followed her to the elevator as she headed down to the engineering deck. "Forgive me for asking," he started in a polite tone. "But I never knew you were also a biotic. It wasn't mentioned in any of the vids I watched. Uh you know, them um made us watch a lot on my last assignment. You know, keep us dedicated to the Alliance," he added nervously.

"Oh, uh," she paused. "I was never trained."

"The Alliance didn't provide training?" he asked.

"I didn't even know what biotics were until I joined the Alliance. As a kid I only knew that when I got angry, stuff got thrown across the room without me touching it. I was afraid and a little ashamed. They didn't talk much about stuff like that on the colonies. I tried to hide it the best I could."

"I see," he replied. "That must have been hard."

"What about you," she asked. "You are impressive."

"I had men knocking at my door when they were first discovering biotic abilities. I was sent to BAAT training when I was a kid," he added as the elevator doors opened.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Shipping out kids whose mothers had been exposed to eezo. It seemed kind of cruel to me."

"How was your mother exposed?" he asked.

"She used to work on drive cores. Both my parents were engineers and she specialized in mechanics. I guess all that time around the eezo did something when she was pregnant."

She sighed slightly thinking about her parents. Their memory faded more and more as each year passed but she still felt the loss deeply. Her parents had split up when she was young but they had always supported and encouraged her. She had spent a lot of time in counseling to deal with her issues with loss and intimacy after what happened on Mindoir.

"Sorry for bringing it up Commander, my curiosity got the best of me," Kaidan said as he stepped out of the elevator.

"It is fine," she smiled. She thought it was strangely cute how much he knew about her career. She hoped he had an interest in her as well, even if nothing could ever happen.

"Well Goodbye Commander," he added nervously as she headed into the armory to store her guns.

He walked over to the large exploration vehicle and began looking at some of the controls. Shepard sighed as she walked into the armory, feeling worked up once again. It didn't help that Kaidan seemed incredibly sweet and a bit shy. Shepard had met her share of big-headed assholes in the Alliance. She began wondering if he had a girlfriend at home waiting for him. He seemed worthy of waiting to her.

She unpacked her new rifle and pistol and studied the controls. They were fresh from the manufacturer and needed to be oiled. She slicked the appropriate parts with just the right amount of oil, the smell of the oil giving her a giddy feeling. Her guns were her children and she cared for them accordingly. She packed the guns in her private locker and attempted to hide the evidence of her sex toy purchase. She shoved the toy into a pocket in her pants and stuck the bag into the compactor before heading back out into the cargo bay.

As she passed Kaidan, who had begun working on one of the computers, she felt a hard vibration tremor through her body. She stood frozen in fear, thinking the vibrator had turned on by itself. She soon realized it was Joker trying to contact her via omni-tool. "Fuck Joker, why didn't you just call me on the ship's comm?" Shepard breathed a nervous sigh of relief. Her face had quickly turned bright red.

"Uh, sorry Commander, I didn't know you were on board," he replied. "The rest of the crew is on board and I need a destination."

"Set a course for the Feros colony," Shepard replied, as Kaidan turned to look at her.

"Everything okay Commander," Kaidan asked, seeing her normally pale face flushed.

"Joker just startled me," she tried to laugh, hurrying towards the elevator.

"Damn it," she swore, pressing her hand against the firm jellied toy in her pocket. She enter her new cabin and nearly tripped on the crates that had been left there. She'd never had a private room on a ship and was happy to have place to herself. She sat down at her desk and began working on some paperwork that she had put off. One of them was the report to be file regarding Jenkins' death on Eden Prime. She saved that for last, wanting to avoid it as much as possible. She had lost few soldiers under her command and she took each one personally.  
> <p>


	13. Sexual Chocolate

Shepard sent her reports to the Alliance and unpacked quickly. She realized she hadn't eaten all day and hurried to the mess. She nearly walked out with the vibrator still in her pocket and shoved it into the shower before leaving her cabin. "Oh, Captain, you don't have to eat this slop," the mess officer said as she sat down. "You get the executive meal. I can bring it into your quarters."

"I prefer to eat out here," she replied. She never enjoyed eating alone, despite her aloof personality. He nodded and brought her out a special tray of food. It tasted better than the usual mess food and she finally seemed to regained her appetite. She left a large slice of chocolate cake for last, happy for the extra captain's treat.

Kaidan had sat down to eat across from her and she saw his eyes linger on it. She watched him until he finished eating and took one last glance at the cake. "You want to share this with me Alenko?" she asked. "You are staring at it like a horny sailor at a whorehouse," she grinned.

"Oh no, it is fine," he blushed, standing up with his tray.

"I insist," she smiled. "Come on, sit back down."

She let him take the first forkful and watched as he slowly swirled it around in his mouth. For some reason, she began fantasizing about licking the chocolate off his body. "Damn it Shepard, snap out of it," she told herself as she pulled a forkful of cake seductively through her lips, pulling every last bit of chocolate off the tines.

"Thank you Commander," he smiled.

"Nothing against Captain Anderson but I like to think I am a little more lax with the crew. I understand how important it is to blow off steam. Be it chocolate or sex," she added, immediately regretting what she said.

"I won't make a habit of eating your food ma'am," he blushed again. "But chocolate is weakness of mine."

"Mine too," she giggled like a horny cadet.

He excused himself with a wide, blushing smile as Shepard pressed a palm to her forehead. "Really fucking subtle there, whore," she chastised herself.

"Headache ma'am?" Ashley asked, sitting down at the table next to her.

Shepard was glad only Kaidan had witnessed her disgusting attempt at flirting with a subordinate.  
>"Something like that Williams," Shepard shook her head.<p>

Shepard headed to the medical bay, not for headache relief, but a sympathetic ear. "Alright Chakwas, spill the beans on everything you know about Alenko. I want full details before I embarrass myself again."

"What happened?" Chakwas laughed slightly.

"Don't laugh, you started this," Shepard grinned. She sat down in one of the chairs and put her feet up. "Fuck, I am a mess."

"Well, I know he grew up in Vancouver. His father served for a few years but never saw combat. He doesn't write letters to anyone special. He gets migraine headaches from his biotic implant. He's blood type B and has a little extra down below."

"You've seen it!" Shepard exclaimed, taking her feet off the table.

"I have to give all the physical exams. You tend to notice those kind of things after so many years."

"Janet Chakwas, I never!" Shepard laughed.

"It's not like I grabbed ahold for any extra amount of time," Chakwas' face reddened. "I have to do it with all of the men."

"So basically you are telling me he is perfect," Shepard shook her head. "Besides a little wounded baby bird that I need to take care of action?" Despite Shepard's personality quirks, she had a nurturing side. She usually kept a small caged pet to care for when she could. She liked that there was a time he could be vulnerable and taken care of.

"Well, as you've seen, he is incredibly shy and reserved. He seemed overly guarded at times. In my experience, that always means demons in the closet," Chakwas went on.

"Hmm," Shepard wondered. "Is is wrong that I am asking this? I can't seem to take my mind off of him."

"You are human Shepard," Chakwas grinned. "Albeit a very strange one. But we are all a little strange."

"Yeah, I've never felt up the crew," Shepard laughed.

"I'll have you out of my medical bay," Chakwas' face reddened again. She began playfully shoving Shepard out of the door.

"I am so glad you're here on the ship," Shepard smiled as she stepped out of the doorway.  
>Chakwas laughed and made an obscene gesture towards her and shut the door. Shepard smiled and was glad to laugh. Everything with Saren, Geth, and her mild obsession with Kaidan had brought her mood to a low point. She returned to her cabin and stripped down, turning a vid on. She hoped get a good night's sleep as they headed towards Feros. <p>


	14. Dirty Magazines

She fell into a drowsy sleep as her nightmares continued. She woke up again and decided to get out of bed. It was still very early in the morning, so she spent some more time in her cabin, browsing the extranet. Judging from the flight status report she received, they would arrive on Feros later in the afternoon. She knew she would need to get more sleep but she didn't think Dr. Chakwas would be awake to give her any medication.

She stretched out on the bed, taking her data pad with her. She filed a meaningless report and read a little from a Drell religious text but neither of them made her any more drowsy. She eventually headed to the mess for breakfast early and found Kaidan already up and at work. "Couldn't sleep either?" he smiled. She nodded with a smile. "There is just so much going on," he added. "It feels like we are going a million miles an hour. I mean theoretically we are but you know what I mean."

"Yeah, we're being thrown into this without any intel or prep. But I wouldn't be able to sleep if we weren't doing anything," she replied, as he stooped down at the console, she remember what Chakwas had said and began staring at his groin, hoping to determine how much extra he had down there.

"What do you think we'll find on Feros?" Kaidan asked.

"I don't know," she replied, her eyes quickly darting upward. "I was looking at the dossier and it is a small colony built within old Prothean ruins. It is funded by some Earth-based company, Exo-Geni. I am not looking forward to dealing with that."

"Well," she excused herself. "I am going to see how our alien crew members are settling in." She didn't want the temptation of staring at his crotch anymore. He gave her a nod goodbye and she headed downstairs. None of the aliens seemed interested in sleeping up on the crew deck. There were extra storage rooms that could be made hospitable but the noise of the cargo bay remained.

She found Wrex and Garrus already awake. Wrex was cleaning his guns while Garrus sat near the back of the cargo bay reading. He quickly hid the magazine when Shepard approached.

"So what do you think of the Normandy?" she asked, trying to sneak a peek at the magazine he had shoved under his chair.

"It's great Shepard," he replied with a slightly embarrassed tone. "I can see some of the Turian influence," he added.

"Do have much experience on ships? I assume you've been with C-Sec for most of your career?" she asked.

"Here and there," he replied. "All Turians serve in the army for five years after they reach maturity. I was mostly ground side. My father worked at C-Sec, so I decided to follow in his footsteps. I didn't know I would hate it so much."  
>"Did you really hate it there?"<p>

"Yeah, you get bogged down in all this bureaucratic bull shit. What happened with Saren wasn't something out of the ordinary. They expect me to work miracles with classified files and one day to work with. I want to do what it takes to get the job done."

"But there is a limit on how far you can take things. I may be accused of unusual and dirty tactics sometimes but never to the point that basic rights are being violated."

"I understand," he nodded.

"I just wanted to check and see how you are settling in. I'll let you get back to your magazine," she smiled slightly, recognizing the distinct X on the edge his Fornax magazine. "I was just telling Lt. Alenko, I am a pretty lax Captain. Just get your duties done and whatever you need to relax is your business. I am not the type of Captain to get upset over some dirty magazines."

"Uh, thanks Shepard," Garrus said, still in an embarrassed tone. She saw his foot slide the magazine further under his chair.

She passed Wrex who was standing around without a thing to do, done cleaning his guns. "Wrex, how are you?" she asked.

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Did they get you all set up down here?"

"Yes."

"You aren't a morning person are you?"

"No."

"Well, neither am I, but I couldn't sleep. We should be on Feros in a few hours."

"Good."

"I'll, uh, leave you to it then," she slowly backed away. He seemed overly hostile this morning.  
>She searched for Tali and found her sitting in engineering recalibrating her omni-tool. "Everything okay?" Shepard asked.<p>

"This ship is so amazing," Tali said, excitedly. "Everything is so new. There is nothing to fix. I decided to recalibrate my omni-tool because there is nothing to do. Back on the Flotilla, there was always something to fix."  
>"Can you tell me anything else about the Geth?" Shepard asked. "If the reports of them on Feros are true, I'd like to know more about what we will be fighting."<p>

"The Geth began as cheap labor for us. They have since evolved so much. They began building more of themselves and in different way than our original design. They have four basic classes that we can determine. Our original design they use for ground troops. They created another type they use for reconnaissance, the drones. The armatures serve as vehicles as well as weapons. Then there is the newer design. These things are very strange. They can climb and jump long distances. I can forward you the specs if you like."

"Yes, I'd appreciate that Tali."

"And I appreciate you letting me come along. I'd like to return from my Pilgrimage with something that can finally stop the Geth."

"I hope I can help," Shepard smiled.

She headed back up to the CIC deck and checked in with Joker. "How close are we?" she asked.

"Another few hours," he replied. "Hey, I once heard a rumor that you almost became a pilot," Joker asked. "You ever wonder how things would've turned out it you'd be able to stick to it?"

"I decided I didn't like sitting down that much," she smiled.

"Yeah, we can't all be out kickin' ass, ma'am," he replied.

"Couldn't make the physical training requirement?" she laughed.

"Uh, I guess no one told you about my disease," he said matter of factly.

"What?" she said, feeling embarrassed.

"I have Vrolik's Syndrome. My bones are very brittle. I was born with over a dozen fractures. I can walk but not very well. If it wasn't for the modern marvels of medicine, I'd be dead."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know."

"It is alright. Most of my other captains have tried to baby me. I don't need that."

"I hate kids, so I won't get that from me," she replied, slowing backing away from the awkward conversation.

She returned down to her cabin and browsed over the mission report again. There wasn't much information to discern. She didn't know what to expect when they arrived on the colony. When they got closer to the colony she changed into her armor and grabbed her two new guns. She headed back up to the comm room as they approached the planet of Feros. She briefed the crew about the known facts as they prepared to enter the atmosphere of the planet. 


	15. Feros

The Normandy scanned the towering ruins of Feros looking for the docking hangar. They had received no communication as they flew over the colony. Shepard told the team to be prepared for the worst. She had an uneasy feeling and when she led her team out, they were immediately confronted by one of the colonists. "What is going on?" Shepard asked. "We tried reaching someone when we were docking."

The colonist didn't answer her question, only telling her that she needed to speak with the colony leader, Fai Dan. "When did the Geth arrive?" Shepard asked before she was interrupted by sudden gun fire. A group of Geth had swarmed the hangar, killing the colonist instantly with a shotgun blast. "Take cover!" Shepard yelled diving behind a pillar.

"Damn it," she swore as she peeked out from cover for a moment. The small group of Geth was heavily fortified. Luckily her team was able to draw them out of cover and dispatch them easily. "I guess we confirmed the Geth activity," Shepard remarked as the last Geth fell. She looked down at the gaping wound on the colonist. "Let's take him back to the settlement," she ordered.

Garrus and Wrex picked up the body and the rest of the team proceeded on. The ruins of the colony were crumbling and worn. They came into the proper colony, a small settlement nestled between the crumbling ruins. The colonists were at arms but seemed relieved that someone had come to help. "I am looking for Fai Dan?" Shepard asked.

"Oh no, is that David?" one of the women asked. Garrus and Wrex set the body down carefully.

"The Geth attacked us in the hangar." Shepard replied. "I need to find out what is going here. I am here to help."

"Fai Dan should be just past those freighters, near the entrance to that big tower," a frightened man replied. He pointed her towards a small tower close by. The team walked through the ruined colony, amazed that anyone would willingly live in such a place. The air was filled with smoke and dust. The sound of distant gunfire could be heard.

"Are you Fai Dan?" Shepard asked the man standing near the tower entrance.

"Yes," he replied. "I saw your ship. I am glad the Alliance finally sent someone."

"Nice of you to show up too late," the woman next to him sneered.

"Excuse me?" Shepard replied angrily.

"Sorry Commander, everyone is on edge. The Geth keep coming wave after wave," Fai Dan apologized.

"What are they doing here? Did you happen to see a Turian with them?" Shepard asked.

The familiar sound of the Geth could be heard nearby and Shepard pulled her gun. "Oh hell, the Geth have gotten into the tower," the angry woman yelled, pulling out a large rifle.

"Stay here," Shepard said. "My team will take care of it."

She dispatched Wrex and Ashley to the front and followed with Kaidan, Garrus and Tali in tow. They headed into the tower and found many Geth positioned inside. As they neared the top of the tower they found the source of the invasion. A Geth drop ship rained troops down from a hole in the ceiling. The team held their positions as the ship continued dropping down troopers, snipers, and drones. Shepard got the chance to use her new sniper rifle, targeting Geth as they dropped down from the ship. The rifle hummed loudly as she fired, shaking her body slightly.

The drop ship finally gave up, sending in a last wave of reinforcements before taking off. "It is heading north," Tali said, tracking the ship on her omni-tool.

"Let's head back to the colony and make sure everything is okay. We need to take out that ship," Shepard ordered.

They made sure the tower was fully clear and returned to speak with Fai Dan and the rude woman, Arcelia. "Any idea why the Geth are attacking here?" Shepard asked.

"Why don't you go knock on their door and ask them?" Arcelia snapped. "They are holed up at the Exo-Geni building."

"What the hell is your problem?" Shepard asked, annoyed at her accusatory tone.

"I know you Alliance types," Arcelia sneered. "You are all alike. The only reason you showed up is because there is something here you need."

"Arcelia, shut up!" Fai Dan yelled. He waved her away in frustration. She grabbed her gun and walked away after giving Shepard an angry glance.

"I am sorry," Fai Dan apologized.

"It's okay," Shepard replied. "I've met enough Alliance bashers to know it is just better to ignore them. Where is that building from here?"

"It is north of here, you can take the skyway to get there. I doubt the Geth will make it easy."

"It is okay, we have the firepower to protect ourselves. In the meantime, is there anything we can do to stabilize the colony. I have a whole ship full of able crew."

"Where do I start?" Fai Dan sighed. "We are running out of food, our generators are out of power. The Geth hit our water supply down in the tunnels. They are slowly trying to kill us."

"I'll send a team down to check it out," Shepard replied.

"Thank you," Fai Dan said.

Shepard split the team up, sending Garrus, Wrex, and Ashley down into the tunnels. She told Kaidan and Tali to head back to the Normandy and drive the Mako around to the entrance of the skyway. Shepard walked around the colony accessing the damage the Geth had already done. There were only a few hundred left from the thousands of colonists Exo-Geni had set up. The colonists all seemed shaky, but professed their allegiance to staying at the colony. As much as Shepard admired their colonial spirt, they seemed almost too willing to stay. She thought it was slightly strange and kept looking around and asking questions. 


	16. Mind Control

As Shepard wandered the colony, Kaidan and Tali pulled the Mako from the cargo bay garage into the skyway entrance. It wasn't long before they encountered Geth guarding the road ahead. The skyway was littered with debris, giving the troopers and armatures key positions. It was difficult to take them all down and the Mako took a few hits, but they managed to destroy all the Geth in their way.

They continued up the skyway encountering increasing resistance the closer they neared the building. "The Geth sure don't want us to get to that building," Kaidan remarked.

"What would they being doing here of all places?" Shepard wondered.

As they moved closer, they began hearing a lot of comm traffic.

"I thought all the colonists had abandoned the building? Can you track that signal?" Shepard asked.

"It is coming from a nearby bunker. The Geth are running a jamming signal, let me see if I can get around," Tali replied. She began changing frequencies and working with the Mako's radio. "There, I have got it," she replied. "They should be right in front of us."

"Kaidan, stop the Mako. Let's check this out," Shepard ordered.

She stepped out the the Mako and found a bunker concealed by several large crates. She approached cautiously, hearing voices inside. "What's going on here? Are you colonists from Exo-Geni?" Shepard asked, holding up her gun and stepping out from behind a crate.

"Step back," a man yelled pulling out his gun. "Who are you?"

"Shepard. I am with the Alliance. And I don't like guns pointed in my face," she replied.

"Don't worry about him," a woman replied, pushing the man's gun down.

"What are you doing here?" Shepard asked. "Why aren't you back at Zhu's Hope?"

"Jeong told us they were dead. We've been waiting here for Exo-Geni to show up and rescue us," the woman looked at the man holding the gun.

"I said they might be dead," Jeong replied.

"We are going up after the Geth, stay bunkered up until we get back," Shepard ordered.

"If you are going up to the building, I don't want you snooping around. You can kill as many Geth as you want. Just keep your nose where it belongs, " Jeong replied.

"Does it look like I take orders from you?" Shepard glared at him.

They left the stranded colonists and continued along the skyway, eventually coming to the main Exo-Geni building. They proceeded carefully forward, tracking multiple hostiles on radar. The Geth tried in vain to keep them from entering the building but had little protection against their superior firepower. They found an energy barrier blocking the entrance to the building. "Must be something the Geth put up," Tali said. "I can't disable it from here."

"There is a culvert over here, Commander. It might led somewhere," Kaidan said. "It is a long drop though."

"Lower me down and I will check it out," Shepard said.

Kaidan took her hands and helped lower her into the hole, their eyes locking for a moment in trust. Shepard could see that the hole led into the building and helped Kaidan and Tali down. They heard a sound and found a young woman huddled in the small underground garage the tunnel led to.

"What are you doing in here?" Shepard asked.

"I stayed up here to keep samples alive and back up data," the woman replied.

"You'd stay up here and die to get data?" Shepard asked.

"Well, uh," the woman stalled.

"You wouldn't happen to be Elizabeth?" Kaidan asked.

"Yes," Elizabeth answered.

"We met your mother, she is alive with some of the other colonist," Kaidan said.

"Oh good," she breathed a sigh of relief. "We need to get out of here."

"I need some answers first," Shepard asked. "What are the Geth doing here?"

"Uh, I don't know," she clearly lied.

"Look, I am here to help, just tell me."

"I think they may be looking for the Thorian."

"What is that?"

"It is a plant, Exo-Geni was studying it."

"What would machines want with a plant?"

She only shook her head. "There is an energy field around the building. We won't be able to leave until we destroy that field," Elizabeth added.

"Where is the field being generated from?" Tali asked.

"I don't know, but the Geth have cables everywhere. I am guessing their ship is running power to everything."

"Alright, let's head into the facility, take a look around. Will you be okay here by yourself?"  
>Shepard asked.<p>

"I think so," Elizabeth replied.

"Hold tight and we will be back," Shepard said, moving out. She wondered what the Geth would want with a plant, it seemed out of their nature. From Elizabeth's nervousness, Shepard discerned there was something else going on in the facility. 


	17. Peeping Shepards

Shepard and her team entered the crumbling facility, expecting more Geth inside but instead heard an angry voice a floor above them. They approached quietly and found a Krogan trying to access an information console. "What the hell is a Krogan doing here?" Kaidan whispered. The Krogan turned around, hearing them approach. He rushed the group but was no match for the three soldiers.

They approached the console and Shepard looked up the last search entry. "Tell me more about this Species 37?" she asked.

"The Thorian is a remarkable plant life currently being used in test group five," the VI answered.

"What is test group five? What are they using it for?" she asked.

"The current test group are being studied to see how the Thorian spores interact and begin to form a mind control bond with the human subjects."

"Human subjects?" Shepard wondered. "The colonists? Who started this project?"

"Specific team leaders are beyond your level of clearance," the VI replied.

"What do the spores do to the colonists?" she asked.

"It appears they are simply extensions of will. They perform tasks that ensure the Thorian's survival. Unless their tasks are hindered, they continue with their ordinary lives while tending to the Thorian."

"Are the colonists at Zhu's Hope test group five?" Shepard asked.

"Details of test group five are above your clearance level," the VI answered.

"Mind control? This can't be need to get ahold of Ashley and the rest of the crew," Kaidan said.

"No wonder the colonists were acting so strange," Shepard added.

Shepard tried to reach Joker or anyone else on the crew but her omni-tool wasn't receiving a signal. "The Geth are blocking communication," she replied. "We need to take down the power."

"There are cables here," Tali pointed. "They should lead us to the power source."

They followed the cables, encountering more Geth prowling the building "Over here Shepard," Tali motioned. "These claws here, the Geth use them to anchor to buildings. They have a structural weakness. If we can destroy one of these claws, the whole ship would dislodge and take the power with it."

"What do we need to destroy it? I've got grenades," Shepard said.

"I don't think that will work. Plus with the integrity of this building, the blast would probably collapse the building on top of us," Tali replied.

"There has to be another way," Kaidan said.

"We'll have to keep looking," Shepard replied.

They continued following the cables and found a large containment lab full of Geth. It was obvious they were protecting something. They were able to destroy all the Geth and searched the lab for any evidence as to what they were guarding. They found another claw hooked under a shuttle bay door. "Look at this," Tali looked at the claw. "This door is poised right over the joint of the claw, the weakest part. If this door has enough hydraulic power, we might be able to snap the joint."

"There must be a control panel here somewhere," Shepard looked around.

"Here Commander," Kaidan said, approaching a small console. "I should be able to overload the power coupling. It will slam the door shut."

"Do it," Shepard said, approaching one of the Exo-Geni data consoles. "I am going to try to get some more information on Exo-Geni. If they are experimenting on humans, they need to be held accountable."

She browsed the data and copied some of it to her omni-tool while Tali hacked the Geth consoles. "Anything useful?" Shepard asked after copying the Exo-Geni files.

"It looks like the Geth are amassing around the Armstrong Cluster. If this is accurate, it would be a good place to take out a lot of Geth," Tali said.

"We'll take the data and study it later. I've got quite a bit of dirt on Exo-Geni," Shepard said.

Kaidan finished rigging the door controls and waited for the overload to occur. "Here goes nothing," he said, seeing the controls flashing. The door snapped down, crashing violently into the metal of the claw.

"I think that did it!" Shepard yelled, hearing the metal outside begin to sheer. The building began to shake slightly and they heard a large explosion. "That definitely did it," Shepard said. She tried to radio Joker again.

"Commander is that you?" Joker called.

"Joker, tell Ashley, Garrus, and Wrex to get back to the ship immediately," Shepard ordered.

"They are already here," he replied. "They fixed everything in the tunnels and then the colonist started acting really weird. They came back to the ship when they couldn't get ahold of you. Now the colonists are banging on the ship trying to get in."

"Well unless they find a mass accelerator weapon they aren't getting in, so hold tight."

"Um, yeah we'll just stay in here."

"What are we going to do about the colonist? We have no idea how the Thorian is controlling them," Kaidan asked.

"I don't know," Shepard answered. "Let's get back to the colony first and then we'll figure it out."

They headed back the way they came and found Elizabeth waiting for them downstairs. "So why didn't you tell us the truth about what Exo-Geni was doing?" Shepard asked.

"I was scared. I tried to stop it but they suspended me," Elizabeth replied. "I came back up here to send evidence to the authorities but got cut off."

"So how do we stop it?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Elizabeth shook her head.

They headed back to where the Mako was parked and made their way back towards the colony. They returned to the bunker that held the stranded colonists. Shepard found Elizabeth's mother, Juliana arguing with Jeong. "What is going on now?" Shepard asked.

"He is trying to purge the colony," Juliana said. "He's got some sort of control device in his pocket."

"I have orders from Exo-Geni, there is something more valuable here," Jeong replied.

"Like Species 37?" Shepard asked.

"I knew you'd be up there sneaking around. I have full authorization to do this," he said, reaching into his pocket.

"And you think I am going to let you?" Shepard warned, pulling out her gun.

"What are you going to do, shoot me?" Jeong asked.  
>"If I have to. Take your hand off the device, slowly," Shepard said. "Check him, Alenko."<p>

Kaidan patted Jeong down and took the device from his pocket. Shepard threw it on the ground and destroyed it with a pistol shot. Jeong said nothing but continued glaring at Shepard.

"What are we going to do now?" Juliana asked. "I doubt all of us will fit in your rover."

"There is a problem in the colony. It will be safer to stay here for now," Shepard replied. "We need to find out how to stop the Thorian from controlling the colonists."

"They'll never let you near it," Elizabeth exclaimed. "They will do anything to protect it."

"I don't know what else to do," Shepard replied. "They are attacking my ship."

"What about a nerve gas, something to knock them out?" Juliana suggested. "They can't be controlled if they are unconscious."

"Do you have something like that here?" Shepard asked.

"We use an insecticide that might do the trick. It contains a nerve agent," Juliana answered.

"So what do I do, go spraying them in the face like a plant?"

"If we inject the gas into empty grenade shells, we would just have to throw them," Tali suggested.

"Alright, I'll guess try anything," Shepard replied.

They took some empty grenade shells from the Mako and injected them with the insecticide. It was too late for them to return to the colony so they were forced to stay the night with the stranded colonists. There weren't enough beds for everyone so Shepard volunteered to sleep in the Mako. She climbed inside and spread a supply blanket on the floor. As she was beginning to unzip her armor, Kaidan appeared in the doorway. "Will you be okay in here alone ma'am?" he asked, turning his eyes away quickly when he saw her armor pulled halfway off. "Sorry," he added.

"I think I have ample firepower in here," she smiled, peeking her head around the door.

"Um, well goodnight Commander," he replied, his face red from embarrassment.

"Come in, stay awhile, get naked," Shepard said to herself as she shut the door to the Mako. She pulled off the rest of her armor and laid down for a moment before on a knock on the door startled her. She looked out the porthole and saw Kaidan standing outside. "He didn't hear me did he?" she wondered to herself for a moment. She opened the door, crouching in the athletic bra and panties she wore under her armor.  
>"Sorry to bother you again ma'am," he cast his eyes down. "There should be an extra uni under the driver's seat. I wcould never sleep in my armor," he added.<p>

"Of course," she replied, crawling over towards the seat. The button to open the compartment was jammed and Shepard grunted as she tried to press it down. Kaidan glanced inside to see if everything was alright, catching a glimpse of her backside as she bent over the seat. His eyes widened for a moment and he quickly took a step back from the Mako. "Damn it," Shepard pounded down on the button, finally opening the compartment.

She pulled out one of the sealed uniforms and handed it to Kaidan. "Thank you," he replied, trying not to look guilty at sneaking a peek at her body. Shepard closed the door again and watched as he walked away from the porthole. He headed to the other side of the Mako to change. Shepard bit her lip and knew she shouldn't turn on the exterior cameras but she couldn't help herself and flipped the switch.

She watched Kaidan unzip his armor and slide it off his well toned body. The green glowing infrared screen mesmerized her like a fever dream. He stood in only a pair of small shorts that hugged his body for a moment, pulling the plastic off the emergency uniform. "Please don't put it on," she said to herself quietly as she stared at the screen. She almost felt like she was watching an adult voyeur vid, expecting him to begin pleasuring himself at any moment.

Instead, he pulled on the baggy uniform that didn't fit his lean frame and returned back to the bunker. Shepard sighed as she switched off the cameras. "I am a horrible person," she said aloud, running her hands through her hair and pulling out her bun. She tried to sleep as best she could in the Mako but it wasn't a comfortable night's rest.


	18. Shepard of the Dead

Shepard was awoken by Joker calling her on the Mako's comm in the morning. "Commander, the colonists are at it again," he radioed. "They went to sleep as you predicted but they are awake now and still trying to get in."

"We are going to try and subdue them, hang tight," Shepard replied, sleepy eyed.

She rubbed her face and began pulling her hair back up. She got into the supply chest and grabbed a MRE. "Oh yuck," she frowned as she bit into the banana-flavored breakfast bar. She spit it back out and hid it somewhere discreetly. As she dressed she heard someone knocking on the hull. It was Kaidan once again, dressed in his armor and ready to leave.

"The grenades are loaded and ready to go ma'am," he said as she opened the door. "Any news from the colony?"

"It sounds like they are still trying to get into the Normandy. I hope these work," Shepard said, sticking them in her ammo pouch.

They climbed back into the Mako and continued towards Zhu's Hope, encountering the last Geth resistance as they neared the hangar. They stopped at the hangar door, which should have openned automatically. "I'll go check it out," Shepard said. She climbed out and found a humanoid looking creature standing near the console.

"Uh, hello?" she asked, looking cautiously at the creature. The creature cried out and rushed towards her as she quickly pulled out her pistol off her hip.

"What was that?" Kaidan asked, peeking his head out the door.

"I don't know," Shepard said looking down at the pile of filth that was left of the creature. "It's disgusting, but it looked almost human."

She approached the controls and rewired the door to open for them. As the door raised, she saw more of the creatures waiting inside. "The machine gun!" she yelled, backing away. The gun began to fire as she ducked out of the way. "They've blocked the road," she called into the Mako. "We are going to have to go in on foot."

The rest of the team climbed out and they headed towards the elevator. "What are they?" Tali asked as a shot whizzed past their heads.

"It's the colonists, they are firing at us," Kaidan ducked.

"Don't shoot unless absolutely necessary," Shepard ordered. "Use the grenades, stasis, knock them out, shoot them in the foot, just try not to kill them."

"Aye-aye, ma'am," Kaidan said.

They headed down the elevator and Shepard wondered if these thralls were what remained of the dead colonists. The creeper creatures looked human but their bodies were decayed.  
>They proceeded towards the heart of the colony, encountering more of the creeper creatures and crazed colonists. They managed to subdue all of the colonists and kill the vast amount of creepers. Shepard ran out of grenades and took a small pleasure in rushing Arcelia and knocking her out with a single punch.<p>

"Now where the hell is the Thorian?" Shepard wondered. "The colonists seemed to be protecting this freighter."

Kaidan checked out the freight controls and managed to move it out of the way. A hidden staircase lie beneath. "Let's check it out, as creepy and disgusting as it smells," Shepard said. As they approached the stairs, they heard rustling below. They found Fai Dan huddled up on the floor.

"I tried to fight its power. It tells me things. It wants me to kill you, but I won't," he said, holding a pistol to his head.

"No, wait!" Shepard yelled as he pulled the trigger. He fell over dead, a slight smile on his face.

"Damn it," she looked away. "What the hell is wrong with them?"

"This Thorian creature must be powerful," Tali remarked.

"What are you orders?" Kaidan asked.

"Let's take a look at this thing and see what we can do about stopping it," she replied.

They proceeded further into the underground bunker. As they entered the large room, the overpowering smell of organic life overwhelmed them. Shepard looked up and saw an enormous plant-like organism hanging over the collapsed floor. "Oh fuck," she exclaimed.

As they stood in fearful awe, the plant began to writhe, spitting out slime from a nearby pod. "Ew," Shepard gagged, catching of whiff of the disgusting organic fluid. Out of the slime emerged a strange looking Asari.

"Who the hell are you?" Shepard asked, pulling her gun.

"You should not speak to one such as us. Older than the civilizations that rose and fell here. Older than thousands of your lives combined," the Asari spoke. "You do not deserve the knowledge that we hold."

"What knowledge?" Shepard asked.

"The knowledge of those who came and built over us."

"The Protheans?" Tali asked.

"They and many others," the Asari added.

"I want you to stop controlling the colonist," Shepard demanded.

The Asari raised her arm as her biotics began to shimmer. "Get down Commander!" Kaidan yelled, throwing the Asari over the edge of the collapsed floor with his biotics. She could hear the shrieks of more creepers approaching.

"We've got incoming," Shepard yelled.

The creepers began storming into the room, spitting filth as they ran towards them. As she fired, she heard the Thorian cry out. A few of her shots had hit a large cluster of tendrils behind the creepers. When the creepers had been dispatched she looked closely at the cluster. "The VI thought that the Thorian worked through these nodes. I hit it a few times and it sounded like it was hurting it," Shepard said.

"It is worth a try Commander," Kaidan said.

"Step back," Shepard ordered, raising her gun. She fired a few shots into the node, hearing the Thorian cry out again. "That's it," she yelled. "We need to find more of these."

"Maybe upstairs," Kaidan suggested, looking up at the multiple levels. "It looks like it is connected up there," he pointed.

They headed up the stairs finding another node and more creepers. Another Asari was with them. "This shit really stinks!" Shepard said, wiping a bit of slime off of her armor.

"Yeah, it is making me feel sick," Kaidan added.

"Let's kill this thing and get the hell out of here," Shepard said.

They headed up another stairwell and found more nodes attached to the wall. The sixth node they destroyed hit the Thorian hard. It struggled to hang on and soon fell into the collapsed floor below. Another Asari emerged from a small pod, looking different from the others. She didn't seem hostile and appeared weak from being inside the pod.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked. "How did you end up inside the plant?"

"My name is Shiala, I was a follower of Benezia. Saren offered me as trade for the Cipher," Shiala answered.

What is the Cipher? What does Saren want with the Thorian? Why is Benezia working with Saren?"

"Benezia learned of Saren's plans and wanted to help guide him to a different alternative," Shiala answered. "As for the Cipher, it is the ancestral memory of the Protheans."

"And Benezia willingly offered one of her own as trade?"

"Her mind, all our minds were changed. Saren has a ship he calls Sovereign. It burns Saren's will into your mind. Not even Benezia could fight it. I willingly accepting becoming a thrall of the Thorian."

"Why did Saren need the Cipher? Does it have something to do with the Conduit?"

"The beacon on Eden Prime was meant for a Prothean mind. In order to understand the message the beacon contained, you need to have the mind of a Prothean."

"I don't understand," Shepard replied. "Is that why my visions doesn't make any sense?" Shiala nodded.

"I need that Cipher!" Shepard added.

"Saren knew this. This is why he sent the Geth the destroy the Thorian."

"It is still possible to get the Cipher with the Thorain dead?"

"Yes. It requires joining your mind with my own. Close your eyes, relax your body," Shiala said, approaching her.

As Shiala approached Shepard could feel herself losing control of her mind. She felt the same pain at the back of her skull. She could see the same images in her mind, a little clearer. She heard a strange language being spoken. She saw people fleeing in terror. When she finally came to, she was still standing but felt like all of her energy had been drained. "Commander!"Kaidan said as she fell slightly forward.

"I'm okay, I think," Shepard said, holding her head.

"It will take some time to process," Shiala replied.

"What are you going to do? You can't go back to Benezia's service? " Shepard asked, her mind still cloudy.

"I would like to stay here and help the colonists. I wish to atone for my actions."

"I am sure they will need the help," Kaidan added. 


	19. The Damsel in Distressed Armor

The team headed back up to the main colony, finding the colonists still knocked out. Kaidan looked them over and determined they would all be okay once they woke up. Shepard called the Normandy crew and told them to come help move the unconscious colonists inside. She sent a small team to retrieve the stranded colonists on the skyway.

The crew returned to the Normandy after helping with a few more repairs that would keep the colony going until aid could be sent. Shepard went to speak with Joker immediately. "Let's head for the Artemis Tau cluster. Start scanning for any planets with Prothean ruins when we get there," Shepard said, still feeling weak from the Cipher. She wanted to know exactly what Saren's plans were and she hoped Benezia's daughter would know.

"Aye-aye, ma'am," Joker replied. "Just asking, but the next time we are surrounded by zombies, banging on the hull, can I get a shotgun? You know those old vids with the zombies. The guy with the shotgun always survives," he added.

"Wouldn't you be afraid you'd break your shoulder from the recoil?" she joked.

"Oh ha ha, Commander, make light of my disease," Joker laughed. "Seriously, it got a little scary for a minute."

"The Normandy's a tough girl, she can take it," she replied.

Shepard met everyone in the comm room and ran down what they had learned from the Exo-Geni building. "What happens now, Commander?" Ashley asked. "You've got the Cipher. Do we know where to hit Saren?"

"Not yet," Shepard replied. "You are all dismissed, " she added, approaching the FTL comm. She wanted to check in with the Council and let them know about what Exo-Geni was doing.

"Commander, when you have a minute, could I speak with you?" Kaidan asked as the rest of the crew left.

"Of course, just let me debrief the Council. Just stick around in here," Shepard replied.  
>She linked to a comm buoy and waited for the connection to come up. "Commander, we were just reviewing the report you sent us. We were unaware of what Exo-Geni was doing,"<br>the Asari Councillor said.

"What do you plan to do about it?" Shepard asked.

"The Thorian has been destroyed. It seems you have already taken care of the situation," the Salarain Councilor replied.

"Exo-Geni needs to be liable for what happened. They were experimenting on humans."

"You are a Spectre," the Turian Councilor added. "Sometimes you will have to think beyond human interests."

"I'd be as upset if this had happened with any other species! Involuntary scientific testing is torture," Shepard argued.

"We are not here to argue with you Shepard," the Asari Councilor tried to quell her. "You need to concentrate your efforts on Saren and the Geth. We will take care of the rest."

While the councilor spoke, Shepard flipped the Council holograms off, knowing they couldn't see her. She hadn't expected much from them, but she found it unnerving that they were going to sweep the Thorian incident under the rug. She turned off the comm and turned around to see Kaidan smiling at her slightly.

"I don't want to get too informal ma'am, but I think this whole situation is BS. Saren is attacking innocent people. Trading people's lives for information and all the Council gives us is a few reports and leads. "

"Yeah, but what are they supposed to think. They've lived in relative peace for the past few years. No First Contact War, no Krogan Rebellion. I think they hope Saren will just go away," she replied.

"And they expect us to just sit back and hope as well? I didn't sign up with the Alliance to sit around and hope for the best."

"Did you sign up for the dream too? To save the galaxy, rescue the damsel in distress and live happily ever after with millions of space credits?" she laughed slightly.

"You read those books too?" he laughed. "Yeah, I guess I want to do my part. But I prefer my damsels strong and smart like you," he blushed.

"Is that a line, Lieutenant?" she smiled.

"Uh, I didn't mean it that way," he said, his face reddening. "I am sorry. We never had much protocol at Brain Camp."

"I am kidding, Alenko," she smiled. "What the hell is Brain Camp?"

"Biotic Acclimation and Temperence Training," he replied. "It was a mouthful, so the kids used to call it Brain Camp. It was the program Conatix had before it got shut down."

"I remember you mentioned you were just a kid when they took you?"

"Yeah, shipped out to Jump Zero, the middle of space. It was, uh, rough."

"I've never even been close to the Local Cluster. What is it like?" she sat down.

"The Gagarian Station wasn't much when I was there. It was pretty sterile and boring. We mostly just sat around when we weren't training," he said, sitting down near her.

"How many other kids were there? Teenagers always know how to cook up some fun," she smiled slightly. She would have given anything to have a handsome guy like Kaidan around on Mindoir.

"We had a little group going for a while, guys and girls. We'd get together after dinner."

"I see," she raised an eyebrow deviously.

"Nothing like that Commander," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"No special girl to save the universe for?" she asked.

"I was friends with a girl, Rahna. I liked her but it never worked out."

"Why not? I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you," she asked, instantly regretting saying so much.

"It is kind of a long story. Anyways, what I meant to say to you was that I respect your decision to save the colonists. A lot of commanders I've served under would have just accepted them as collateral damage."

"I'd never sacrifice innocent lives unless given no other choice," she replied. He caught her glance and they shared a long moment of nervous silence. "Look, I should get my full report filed, " she smiled, trying to give him a way out of the conversation.

"Thanks for for lending me an ear," he nodded, seemingly slightly relieved. "I'm glad you make time for your crew."

"I am always here to talk. Just don't mention it to the other crew," she grinned as she walked out of the comm room.

She walked downstairs, grinning from ear to ear. There was something about him that always made her smile. She knew she was toeing the line of fraternization, but she didn't care about getting into trouble if it was for Kaidan. She was antsy and needed to get a good night's sleep so she hit up Dr. Chakwas for a sedative and settled into bed, thoughts of Kaidan's body drifting through her mind. 


	20. Detour

Shepard slept well after taking the sedative Dr. Chakwas gave her. She still had a few nightmares in between long bouts of deep sleep, however. She woke up feeling slightly groggy and took a hot shower to wake up. She checked the status report on their flight to Artemis Tau and found a message from Garrus waiting for her. She headed down to the cargo bay to speak with him. She passed the mess and saw Kaidan eating once again, flashing her a smile as she passed. She took the elevator down to the cargo bay, finding Wrex openly browsing Garrus' Fornax.

"Commander," Garrus waved her over when he saw her come down.

"You let Wrex borrow that type of magazine?" Shepard laughed.

"What?" Garrus replied nervously.

"You needed to speak to me?" she asked.

"I received a message from C-Sec earlier. Apparently there was a problem with one of the last cases I handled before I left to join up with you," he replied.

"What sort of problem?"

"I won't go into too many details but I can tell you that things didn't go well. They need me to testify in person before they can wrap everything up in their usual pathetic way."

"So you need to go back to the Citadel?"

"Just for a day. I am trying to arrange for a shuttle ship to pick me up. I don't want the mission to be put on hold just because of me."

"Nonsense, Garrus," Shepard replied. "You are apart of this team. We can't work efficiently without you. We will take you back."

"Thanks Shepard," Garrus added.

"I'll tell Joker to set a new course for the Citadel," she said, heading back towards the elevator.

Ashley waved her down as she neared the elevator. "Commander, can we talk for a second?" Ashley asked.

"Sure," Shepard nodded.

"Uh, could we talk upstairs, ma'am,"Ashley replied, glancing over at Wrex.

"Yeah, I was just heading up to talk with Joker," Shepard said, stepping into the elevator. "What is on your mind?"

"It is Wrex and Garrus," Ashley started.

"You guys didn't have any problems on the mission the other day, did you?" Shepard asked.

"No, we took care of everything there, it is just," Ashley paused.

"What?" Shepard asked.

"Should we be letting them wander around the ship without any sort of supervision? "

"Why not?" Shepard asked. "Is there some reason you don't trust them?"

"Well, frankly ma'am. They aren't human. I don't want to seem rude or xenophobic, I just don't think we should put all of our trust in them."

"Do you have some sort of problem with aliens?" Shepard asked.

"It is just that my entire family has fought for our freedoms, humanity's freedoms."

"It is not like I am putting Wrex behind the helm or something like that. Besides, if anyone had the capability of taking over the ship, it is probably Tali."

Ashley swallowed hard as Shepard continued. "Look Williams, I don't want to get into some social debate with you. Saren is a threat to the entire galaxy, not just humans. Any other species that wants to help stop him is welcome on my ship. We have to work together as a team, regardless of species."

"Aye-aye, ma'am,"Ashley slunk back into the elevator.

Shepard headed up to the bridge to tell Joker to set a new course for the Citadel. He seemed slightly annoyed but Shepard promised him a day off when they arrived. She returned down the stairs, passing Kaidan as he headed to the bridge. She half regretted flirting so much with him yesterday and decided she needed to stay away from him as much as possible. He seemed interested in her, but she wasn't going to risk a sexual harassment violation in the event that she had misread his signals.

She returned to her cabin and began looking over more of the data she retrieved from Exo-Geni. If the Council wasn't going to do anything about the rouge company, she surely would. She found files that stated a group named Cerberus had recently purchased test samples from Exo-Geni. She looked up Cerberus on the extranet and found out they were a known terrorist group. She made a note to check into them further. Terrorists didn't need weapons like the Thorian at their disposal.

They arrived back at the Citadel late that evening, making a few quick relay jumps. Garrus promised to testify early in the morning and be ready to leave after that. Shepard allowed the crew to disembark for the evening and report back in early the next morning. Shepard returned to her apartment for the evening and found a few messages from Alain. She wanted to call him, feeling restless, but she couldn't take her mind off Kaidan. She had never felt so intensely about someone before but she felt scared and hesitant. She wanted someone to talk to about her conflicted feelings so she linked to her VI therapist again. "Hello Rachael, how are you feeling today?" the VI asked as usual.

"I just need someone to talk to," Shepard replied. She sat down and put her feet up on the coffee table. "My feelings for this guy, the one I told you about, they are getting stronger. I don't know what to do."

"What are you feeling about him?"

"I don't even know. He just makes me feel... something," she paused. "He seems to good to be true. I wonder if I am just building him up in my head and that he will turn out to be like every other asshole I have met."

"Has he reciprocated any feelings towards you?" the VI asked.

"Sort of. It isn't like we have much opportunity to talk casually. He looks at me with respect. Most of the guys I meet look at me differently."

"As an object of sexual desire?"

"Yes. I haven't had such strong feelings in any of my past relationships. Something about that scares me."

"Your past relationships have all lacked intimacy. I believe that the feelings you are having for this man, are a desire for intimacy but you are afraid of getting hurt if he does not want what you desire."

"But why am I afraid of that? I've handled rejection before."

"You lost your parents in a traumatic event, which you could not say goodbye. You felt abandoned and do not want to experience that feeling again."

"Argh!" Shepard cried out. "Why do human relationships have to be so complicated?"

"That is beyond my analysis parameters," the VI replied.

"Yeah, right," Shepard smiled slightly.

"Is there anything else you would like to talk about?"

"No, that's all for now," Shepard sighed.

Shepard thought about calling Dr. Chakwas, since she was the closest thing to a friend Shepard had. She didn't want to confess her feelings about Kaidan however. The VI signed off and Shepard sat thinking in the silence of her apartment. She felt something different with Kaidan. The VI was right, she was interested in more than just sex with him. She was starting to worry that her growing feelings for him were affecting her work. She didn't want to start giving him preferential treatment or keep him off missions for fear of him getting hurt.

She stretched out on the couch, her stomach full of worry. She had enough on her plate trying to catch Saren to be having guy trouble. "I've just got to be professional with him. No more flirting, no more looks," she said, rubbing her fingers across her forehead. She felt a headache coming on and closed her eyes, hoping to catch a long nap before eating dinner.


	21. Old Unwanted Memories

Shepard didn't get too far into her nap when she was awoken by the console on her coffee table. "Nobody has this number, who the hell is calling me?" she asked aloud as she sat up. She rubbing her hands over to face to wake her up and answered. "This is Shepard," she said groggily.  
>"Commander Shepard, my name is Lieutenant Girard from Citadel Security. I don't want to bother you, but there is a situation here, and I thought maybe you could help."<p>"Impeccable timing," she said quietly, rubbing her eyes again.<p>

"What was that Commander?" he asked.

"What is the problem?" she replied in a slightly annoyed tone.

"We recently broke up a Batarian slaver ring. We tracked most of the victims' identities down and returned them to their familes, but there was a young woman here from Mindoir. We think she was taken in the same raid, as uh," Girard paused.

"Go on," Shepard frowned slightly.

"We were transporting her to the clinic when she grabbed one of our guns. She is holed up in a small alleyway. She says she wants to die. I thought you would be the best person to try to talk her down, given your history"

"Where is she?" Shepard sighed.

"If you come down to C-Sec Headquarters, we will take you over there."

"I'll be right down."

Shepard headed down to C-Sec with unhappy thoughts welling in her mind. She had already been thinking a lot about her parents, but hadn't thought about the raid for quite some time. She had tried to block it out as best she could. It had taken years of therapy for her to sleep at night. She arrived at C-Sec and found Lieutenant Girard waiting for her. She only greeted him with an unhappy smile. "Thank you for coming, Commander," Girard said. "I know it is late."

"Let's go," Shepard said.

They left C-Sec and headed for a small transportation depot. He pointed her down a small alley. "We tracked her though her med chip. Her name is Talitha," Girard added. "Try to get her to take this," he added, handing her a small capsule. "It will sedate her until we get her to the clinic."

Shepard palmed the pill and walked cautiously down the alley. She could see a woman huddled in the corner. "Talitha?" Shepard said softly. The woman did not respond. Shepard walked closer to her and sat down a few feet away.

"Who are you?" Talitha asked, holding the gun gingerly. She seemed confused about the current situation. "Have you come to take me back to the masters?"

"Masters? The Batarians that took you?"

Talitha said nothing but stared at Shepard with fearful eyes. "My name is Shepard. I was born on Mindoir too. I survived the raids," Shepard continued.

"Don't lie to me," Talitha yelled, jamming the gun to her neck. "You aren't broken or branded. She knows that's not true."

"It is, Talitha. I was born near Bedoi. My parents had a large farm. I was sixteen when the Batarians came."

"Bedoi, I know, how did you escape? Why didn't you have to dig like me?" she yelled.

"I tried to get away in our small cruiser. After I saw them kill my mother, I tried to get to my father's house. The Batarians shot me down. I broke both my legs and an arm. They came by to 'put me out of my misery' but they missed." Shepard said, touching the scar on her clavicle. "I was bleeding there for two days before I was found."

"They killed your mommy and daddy too?" Talitha said, in a sad tone.

"Yes," Shepard replied. "Do you remember your parents?"

"The masters melted them. I tried to play dead but they knew better. They threw me in with the rest, put their mark on me. Put the wires in my head."

Shepard continued trying to question Talitha but had trouble getting through. Talitha was heavily traumatized and had started to believe the Batarians were the only family she had. Shepard tried reminding her of places on Mindoir, but they only seemed to aggravate Talitha more. Shepard sat with her for a few hours talking about her own recovery from the trauma. She eventually convinced Talitha to take the sedative and allowed Shepard to help her up. Shepard saw many scars and burns on her arms. She could see that Talitha had lived a life of constant torture and abuse. She led Talitha out of the alley and to a small medic that was waiting.

"Thank you," Lieutenant Girard said, seeing Talitha off.

"What happened to the Batarians that did this?" Shepard asked.

"All dead," Girard answered. "We were lucky most of the slaves survived."  
>"I wouldn't call it lucky. I'd almost rather be dead," Shepard said grimly. "That girl will probably never be the same. I'd have liked to get my hands on those Batarians myself."<p>

"I just hope we can help her," he replied.

Shepard saw Talitha off and then desperately wanted to be alone. She returned back to her apartment without eating anything for dinner. She shut off her console so she would get no more incoming calls for the night. She laid down immediately but didn't sleep well without a sedative. Her nightmares continued, now more vivid with the Cipher. She awoke sick to her stomach and had to run to the bathroom. She knew she'd never get back to sleep so she headed back to the Normandy to wait for the rest of the crew to return from their night off.  
> <p>


	22. Classic SciFi Lovestory

Shepard went straight to her cabin on the Normandy, her eyelids dark from the lack of sleep. She hoped a hot shower would help her sleep and perhaps another sedative from Dr. Chakwas, who still hadn't returned from leave. As she began to undress, Dr. Chakwas rang at the door. Shepard didn't bother to put her shirt back on and welcomed the doctor in. "I rang you last night to see if you wanted to go out for drinks but I couldn't catch you," the doctor said, sitting down as Shepard unbuckled her pants.

"Something came up," Shepard replied.

"You look awful," Dr. Chakwas said. "Maybe I should run some tests?"

"I just need sleep. Long, dreamless sleep," Shepard replied.

"I can give you a stronger dose this time, maybe it will help. But you may sleep for twelve hours or so."

"That's fine," Shepard replied. "It will take us two days to get to Artemis Tau."

"Be sure to eat something when you take it," Dr. Chakwas said.

"I'll grab something after I have a shower," Shepard replied.

Chakwas said she would leave a sedative on the table as Shepard went into shower. Shepard turned the water to its hottest setting, not caring that it stung her skin slightly. She let the water fall across her face and leaned on her outstretched arms. She stayed in until she began to feel light headed from the heat and toweled off. She pulled her wet hair up into a bun but didn't bother to put her uniform back on. She pulled on her physical training shorts and a light tank top and wandered out into the mess in her bare feet.

The men seated at the mess looked at her bashfully as she grabbed small tray of food. "Commander?" Kaidan blushed as she turned around, his empty tray in hand. "Are you alright Commander?" he asked.

"Just not sleeping well," she replied.

"Well, you look like you are heading off to bed, so I won't keep you," he added, trying to not look down at her body.

She smiled and returned to her cabin as the men in the mess snickered. "Did you see that, her nipples were practically poking through that shirt," one of them grinned.

"God damn, that is sexy," another remarked.

"That is your commanding officer you are talking about," Kaidan frowned at the men of lower rank.

Shepard snatched the sedative as she walked into her cabin and swallowed it quickly. She took a few bites of food and left the rest of the table. The shower had helped, so she climbed into bed and turned out the lights. She wasn't tired enough to fall asleep but she felt the slow release of the sedative and began to drift off.

The pill did the trick and she slept for almost fourteen hours. When she awoke she was ravenously hungry. She ate the cold food she'd left on the table and then headed out to the mess after she'd changed. Kaidan sat casually watching one of the vid screens near the mess and immediately sat up straight when Shepard walked in. "Are you feeling any better ma'am?" he asked as she grabbed a tray of food.

"Yes, I think all this stuff happening in my head is screwing me up," she said, sitting down next to him in the empty chair. She was curious as to what he was watching.

"Yeah, I think this mission is taking a toll on us all. I got a really bad migraine the other day," he replied.

"From your implant?" she asked, taking a big bite of food afterward.

"Yeah," he said. "I get flare up every now and then from stress. I've never been on a mission with so little intel and support. The Council doesn't seem to give a damn about helping us, uh, if I may speak freely."

"Apparently it is a human problem that one of their men is attacking our colonies," Shepard replied sarcastically. "I just wish I could make them see that Saren is a threat to the entire galaxy. If he brings back the Reapers, we are all dead."

"We'll do whatever we can to help," Kaidan replied. "It may be your job to take him down, but you will always have the crew to back you up."

"Thanks Lieutenant," she smiled, knowing she needed to stop these friendly conversations. He looked back at her with dark eyes that she couldn't help but stare into. She wanted to be cold and professional with him, but looking into his eyes, all her willpower melted away. Her ears caught the sound of moaning and she turned a curious gaze to the vid Kaidan was watching. "What is this?" she asked, seeing a Turian and Quarian in the throes of a suit to suit link up.

"Um, its Fleet and Flotilla," Kaidan blushed, trying to turn the vid off. "Someone told me it was an action movie."

"It's got action alright," Shepard grinned.  
>"I usually stick to the classic vids, you know, stuff from the 20th," Kaidan replied, finally shutting the vid off, his face bright red.<p>

"I was always partial to Alien," Shepard smiled. "A woman kicking alien ass in space."

"As much as that movie scared me as kid, I always had a crush on Ripley," Kaidan replied. "I am glad the real aliens are less terrifying than those ones."

"You've never seen a Batarian with a rocket launcher then?" Shepard laughed slightly. "Funny, I would have pegged you for a Star Wars guy."

"That is my favorite movie," Kaidan replied. "I think I still have the lightsaber my dad made me."

"So you were Luke then? Not Han saving the beautiful Princess?"

"Well, Luke could move things with the force. Imagine my surprise when I tried to and it worked."

"That must have been a shock," Shepard grinned.

Dr. Chakwas had come out of the med bay and had been watching their conversation before interrupting. "Shepard, I have your test results back," the doctor said, as Shepard smiled at Kaidan.

Shepard didn't know what she was talking about and followed her into the med bay after saying goodbye to Kaidan. "You two seem to be getting on well, as I predicted," Chakwas grinned as Shepard walked in.

"You brought me in here to gloat about your matchmaking skills," Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I also wanted to see how you are feeling."

"Better, I suppose," Shepard replied, as a lingering concern raised in her mind. She sat down as her mind began to work. "I shouldn't be talking to him like that. Getting too close to the crew. It shows weakness."

"It shows that you are human Shepard. Anderson was so wound up, all he needed was a good lay to get him to start passing out the brandy."

"What?" Shepard laughed at her analogy.

"All I am saying is that I've seen commanders burn themselves out being hard asses. The crew hates them and it brings morale down. I think you strike a good balance, though maybe you shouldn't touch his leg as much."

"What? I wasn't touching his leg," Shepard giggled.

"You were practically groping his crotch," Chakwas laughed. "And you accuse me of feeling up the men."

"I guess I hadn't noticed," Shepard smiled, feeling a sense of happiness she hadn't felt before.

The sleep had done her good as well as being around Kaidan and Chakwas. The two women talked for a while longer as they made their way towards the Aretemis Tau Cluster. The long range scanners had picked up a few hints of Geth activity in the Knossos System, so the ship headed in that direction.


	23. This Place Looks Like Hell

Shepard sat at her desk waiting to get to Therum and the small mining colony where the Geth signals had originated. She received a constant stream of visitors as she waited impatiently for any news from Joker. Garrus stopped by the cabin and interrupted her boredom. "I just wanted to thank you for taking me back to the Citadel," Garrus said. "This investigation really got to me. I was glad to get some sort of closure, if you can call it that."

"What happened that got you so upset?" Shepard asked.

"I was investigating organ trafficking in the Wards. This Doctor, Saleon was using live subjects to harvest organs. He grew them inside people then took them out. He prayed on the poor. Let them die when the unsuccessful growths began to eat at their insides."

"Did you catch him?"

"He got away. Stole a transport ship. I told Citadel Control to destroy his ship, but they said there was too big of a chance of civilian casualties."

"That is a shame, though I understand their reasoning."

"I suppose so, " Garrus sulked. "I always seem to get investigations that go that way."

"No idea where he went? They couldn't track the ship?"

"They found it adrift in the Kepler Verge. All the crew onboard was dead. No sign of Saleon. No doubt he has started up again somewhere else. I've been keeping an eye out for him, but haven't found anything yet."

"I hope you do," she replied. Garrus seemed like the type that would let failures eat away at him. "We should be getting close to Therum, so head up to the comm room," she added.

"Right away," he nodded.

She changed into her armor and headed upstairs to meet with the crew. "Alright, we don't have much info as usual. We are looking for an archaeologist named Liara T'soni. We don't know if Dr. T'soni is working for Saren, but we have to assume that she is," Shepard said when everyone had sat down.

"Commander, we are just hitting the atmosphere now," Joker announced over the comm. "It looks like there is a small colony to the north but there isn't a good landing zone for the Normandy anywhere near it. You will have to go down into the Mako."

"Alright, I need two bodies to head down with me," she said, scanning the room. She passed over Kaidan with slight hesitation. She worried about being distracted by him and looked towards Wrex and Garrus. "Wrex, Garrus, let's go," Shepard said, standing up.

The three crew members headed down to the Mako after grabbing their weapons. Since neither of the aliens had driven the Mako, Shepard had the displeasure of driving. She had trouble getting into gear and sent the Mako sputtering out of the cargo bay. She hit the propulsion jets at the last moment, causing them to land with a thud. "Watch it Shepard," Wrex snarled, hitting his head on the low ceiling.

"Sorry," Shepard apologized.

She drove forward, grinding the gears again. "Come on you six wheeled piece of shit!" she yelled.

"Shepard, maybe I should drive. Now that we've landed, I should be able to figure out the controls," Garrus replied. "It looks similar to the Turian ground carts I used in the army."

"Fine with me," Shepard said, flipping off her safety belt. She carefully slipped passed Garrus and took control of the machine gun. Garrus pulled out with a little difficulty but soon gained a better understanding of the steering and shifting.

"I have a visual on a large underground structure, ten klicks from your location," Joker radioed. "If you stay on this road, you should get to it."

"Well, we've sure picked a paradise to visit," Shepard remarked, looking out of the gun's camera at the boiling pools of lava.

They continued along the rocky terrain until Joker radioed that a Geth drop ship was approaching their location. "Well, it looks like we are in the right place," Shepard said. "Keep the ship on the run and try to take it down," Shepard called back.

She could hear the drop ship overhead and kept alert on the trigger. The ship dropped two armature tanks in front of them. "Definitely the right place!" Shepard said, taking control of the machine gun turret. She fired away, dropping both armatures with patience and Wrex's assistance on the mass accelerator.

They followed the road and came upon a heavily fortified gate. Garrus swung the Mako over a hill to avoid the direct fire. They found their way around the fortified gate, destroying all the Geth inside. "This place is a ghost town," Garrus wondered. "What are the Geth doing here?"  
>They managed to get the gates open and passed through several long tunnels, with occasional patches of Geth along the way. They were no match for the canon and machine gun. Garrus seemed genuinely enthused about mowing them down as well. "We never did anything like this at C-Sec," he laughed.<p>

"Glad you are having a good time," Shepard smiled, blowing a rocket trooper's legs off.

The path eventually narrowed and they could not longer proceed in the Mako. Shepard called the Normandy about an alternate route but there was none. As they headed out on foot, they encountered even more Geth, becoming more numerous as they neared the underground complex. "They seem to be trying to prevent us from moving forward," Wrex said. "We must be going in the right direction."

The underground bunker finally came into view after about a mile on foot. As they approached, they heard the return of the Geth dropship overhead. "These guys don't give up," Shepard said, taking cover.

"Joker, what are you doing about that drop ship?" Shepard radioed.

"That is a third one. The Geth are all over the place," Joker called back angrily.

"Armature being dropped on our position!" Garrus yelled.

"Hack its weapons controls. One hit from that thing and we are all dead," Shepard yelled.

Garrus subdued the armature while Shepard and Wrex took care of the snipers and troops dropped along with the armature. When they all fell, the team concentrated their efforts on the heavily fortified tank. It was a hard fight but they eventually broke down its defenses and destroyed it.

They entered the bunker cautiously, guessing there was probably more Geth inside. The bunker led into an old Prothean ruin that looked like it had seen better days. New platforms had been put in place where the old floors had collapsed.

They could see more Geth below the platforms and passed over them with stealth. "There must be something in here they are looking for," Garrus said. They proceeded carefully on, finding an old elevator that took them down a level. "This place is impressive, even if it is falling apart," Garrus added.

"This looks like the perfect place for a Prothean expert to be hanging out," Shepard replied. They took another elevator but the controls stalled near the bottom. "Old piece of shit," Shepard said, kicking the control box before climbing carefully down the elevator shaft. When they jumped down to the next floor, they found an Asari trapped behind a strange kinetic curtain.

"Oh thank the Goddess, I thought you were more Geth," the Asari breathed a sigh of relief

"Are you Dr. T'soni by chance?" Shepard asked.

"Yes," Liara replied. "Have you been sent to rescue me?"

"Sort of," Shepard replied. "What do you know about your mother Benezia's recent activities?"

"My mother? I haven't spoken to her in years."

"She is working with a Turian named Saren. And the Geth that are here are working for them as well."

"What-why would my mother- never mind, you have to get me out of here."

"What is this thing? How can we shut it off?"

"It is a Prothean barrier curtain. I hid here when the Geth came inside. They've been trying to get in. I didn't realize that I couldn't shut it off from in here. You will have to reach the control panel behind me."

"Let's look around," Shepard said to Wrex and Garrus. "We will be back," she added, turning back to Liara.  
> <p>


	24. Admissions and Guilt

Shepard and her team began looking for a way into the room behind Liara. They could see Geth lurking around the dig site below them. Shepard motioned for the team to keep quiet. She knelt down and pulled out her sniper rifle and began scouring the lower level. There were several Geth wandering around the mining floor. "Get ready," Shepard said quietly, aiming at one of the Geth. Her loud rifle echoed in the rocky chamber, smashing the Geth to pieces. The others Geth quickly responded, firing on their position. The team was able to destroy them quickly and walked down to investigate the small camp.

There was a lot of useless equipment and a few guns scattered around the camp and no doorways to the other side of the thick stone wall. "What about some of this mining equipment, there has to be something in here," Garrus said, looking through some small tools. "What about this?" he said, eyeing a large cutting laser.

"What are we going to do, blow a hole in the wall?" Shepard laughed. "Wait, come to think of it, that is a good idea."

"It should work Commander, if we can access the controls," Garrus replied.

Shepard bent down and studied the control panel. The laser was locked with a safety code. "Damn it," she replied. It was a hexi-decimal code, unhackable regardless of skill. "Any guesses on the code," she said angrily.

"Just smash it," Wrex replied.

"What good will that do?" she asked. Wrex only shrugged his shoulders in response.

"It couldn't hurt Commander," Garrus said. "If we can't hack the controls, you might shock the controls on."

She frowned but could think of no other options. "Hand me that rock," she asked Garrus. He handed her a small, hard rock. "Here goes nothing," she said, smashing the rock down onto the number pad several times. The controls blinked on. "Ha! I can't believe that worked" Shepard laughed. She tossed the rock aside and looked at the controls. There were several settings on it. "Hmm, excavate, sample, terra form. Which one to choose?" she wondered out loud.

"Just pick one," Wrex snapped impatiently.

"Terra form it is," Shepard said, turning the control on. The laser tool hummed for a moment before shooting a powerful beam into the rock wall facing them. The rocks were vaporized, leaving a large circular hole.

"That might have been a little overkill," Garrus mocked, glancing over at the large hole.

They left the camp and walked through the hole that radiated heat from the blast. They found a large shaft with a circular elevator. "Hopefully this thing still works," Shepard said, pressing the button to go up a floor. They found Liara still safe in the barrier curtain.

"You got through?" Liara asked, slightly surprised.

"So how do we get this thing open?" Shepard asked, staring at the control panel.

Liara explained the mechanics and Shepard was able to disable the barrier. Liara fell loudly to the ground. She stood up and brushed herself off. "So if your mother is working with Saren, why would the Geth be after you?" Shepard asked.

"I do not know. As I said, I have not been in contact with her in years," Liara said as the room began to shake. "What is going on?" she asked.

"I think the blast might have compromised the ruins," Garrus said.

"Blast?" Liara asked.

"Let's get the hell out of here Shepard," Wrex said. "We can interrogate the Asari later."

Shepard called Joker and told him to meet them near the ruin entrance. She pressed the elevator to return to the top of the ruin. The elevator shook violently as they neared the top. A large band of Geth were waiting for them. "Thanks for doing my job for me," the Krogan leader laughed. "Hand over the Asari."

"Hm, mercs will work for anybody these days," Wrex snarled.

"Move out of my way or I'll make you move," Shepard yelled, feeling the ruins vibrate even more.

"I'd like to see you try," the Krogan laughed, aiming his shotgun. Shepard dove out of the way, pulling her pistol off her hip. She hit the ground firing. She saw Wrex charge the other Krogan, head butting him and knocking him to the ground.

"Good work!" she yelled as Wrex killed him with a single shotgun blast. The other Geth hid behind the doorway blocking their way out.

"We need to get out of here Shepard!" Garrus yelled, firing at the hidden Geth.

"Hang on," Shepard yelled, tossing a grenade into the doorway. The grenade blast shook the ruins again but cleared their path. They found the doorway to the outside blocked by another security barrier and they were forced to backtrack from the elevator. As they climbed down, the ruins shook even more. "Come on, move your asses!" Shepard yelled, running as fast as she could. She could feel her shields getting pelted with falling debris. She ran through the door and didn't stop until she was off the ramp leading to the bunker. The entrance soon collapsed as they climbed up the nearby building in order to reach the Normandy hovering above.

They had to jump a few feet onto the cargo ramp but everyone made it safely back onto the ship. They returned to fetch the Mako with the magnetic lift and soon exited the atmosphere of the sulfurous planet.

The crew debriefed and Shepard sent Liara down to see Dr. Chakwas. Kaidan lingered in the comm room for a moment while Shepard called the Council to report that Liara was on board and not working with Saren. He eventually slipped out when she began a heated debate with the Turian councillor about maintaining proper security on the ship.

She was seething when she returned to her cabin, kicking the wall as she walked in. "Use better judgment, the Council is counting on you," she said in a mocking tone, repeating the Councillor's stern words. "Fuck you!" she yelled. She sent her report about Therum and studied the report about Noveria. She didn't expect a warm reception on the corporate-funded planet. She felt another headache coming on and was about to lie down when Kaidan showed up unexpectedly at her door.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Perfectly fine, absolutely perfect," she replied sarcastically, her head now beginning to pound.

"I'm, sorry," he replied with a slightly hurt look. "I just thought we," he mumbled as he turned towards the door. "I'll leave you alone."

Shepard felt terrible for snapping at him and called him back inside. "Kaidan, wait," she said. "Look, I am not mad at you. It's just that I feel like shit and the Council is giving me nothing to work with. It is incredibly frustrating and you aren't exactly helping things," she added

"Have I done something to make you angry?" He looked at her with adorably serious eyes.

"No, you haven't done anything wrong, this is just, it's hard to talk about without crossing a line," she stuttered. "I don't normally get this close to the crew."

"Oh," he blushed. "You are making an exception for me," he cast his eyes down bashfully.

"Yes," Shepard replied, grinning at his reddening cheeks. "I know I shouldn't but, well, there are a lot of things I shouldn't do. It is unprofessional of me to put you in this position."

"Well, it's not like I've been exactly subtle with my, uh interest in you," he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, finally looking up at her again.

"Like your abundant knowledge about my career," she laughed slightly, trying to ease the tension.

"When I saw you on that vid, getting your Star of Terra," he blushed. "I've sort of had a crush on you ever since. I've always kind of hoped I would meet you."

Shepard practically melted hearing this, wanting to embrace him immediately. "This could really complicate things," she finally sighed, looking into his eyes.

"I know Shepard," he replied. "I guess we can put it in the back of our minds. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I appreciate your concern," she smiled as they stood awkwardly staring at each other.

"I'll just, um, good night Shepard. If you need anything I am here," he replied with a smile, slowing turning towards the door.

"Good night," she whispered as the doors slide closed. Her stomach was warm with excitement, forgetting her headache for the moment. She couldn't help but grin and slid into bed with a wide smile. Her smile faded however, as she lie in bed worrying about the complications she'd mentioned. She'd already passed him over for the mission today and worried that she'd start babying him. Her mind wrestled with how to keep him safe while still treating him like an officer under her command. Needless to say, she didn't sleep well as the ship began its journey to Noveria.  
> <p>


	25. Reach and Flexabilty

Shepard woke up in an indifferent mood. Her conversation with Kaidan had eased her mind but also brought up a lot doubts. She was concerned about giving him preferential treatment, but was at least glad that they had shared their mutual attraction. She dressed and went out to the mess, finding Kaidan eating as usual. She sat down at the mess table exchanging a smile with Kaidan. "Commander have you had a chance to check on Dr. T'soni? I don't think she's left the med bay since yesterday," Kaidan asked.

"I'll look in on her in a minute," Shepard replied.

She didn't have much of an appetite but forced some food down while chatting casually with Ashley and Kaidan about Noveria. She finished breakfast and headed over to the medical bay to check in on Liara. "Feeling any better?" Dr. Chakwas asked as she entered.

"Yeah, some what. How is Dr. T'soni doing?" Shepard asked, deflecting Chakwas' question about her health.

"She's set herself up back in the science lab. I pulled a cot in there but I don't think she's slept much," Dr. Chakwas answered.

Shepard headed back and found Liara hard at work, browsing through some of the data brought back from Feros. "I can't believe your findings on Feros. An organic plant that witnessed the rise and fall of the Protheans. It is amazing!"

"I was told you were studying the Protheans. Have you found anything in the files that coincides with your research?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing so far. If I had the chance to study the beacon, perhaps I could learn something. Or witnessed the vision."

"My vision wasn't complete. I think the beacon must have been damaged or something. Another Asari helped me fill in some of the gaps but there is still something missing."

"Another Asari?" Liara asked.

"Shiala. She was an acolyte of your mother's," Shepard answered.

"Yes, I saw her name mentioned in the report. She melded with the Thorian creature?"

"Yes, she was able to give me a Cipher so I could understand the Prothean aspects of the vision. It still didn't help much. But I can understand their screams now," Shepard added with a frown.

"I can't imagine it would be an easy process to go through. A weaker person might go mad."

Shepard thought suddenly about what the scientist Manuel had said on Eden Prime. She suspected that he had also touched the beacon. Everything he had said was in line with what Shepard's visions showed. "It just hurts my head to think about it," Shepard replied to Liara's question. "I've been having nightmares almost every night."

"I am sorry Commander," Liara said, looking down. "Perhaps if you shared your vision with me, I might be able to help interpret some of it?"

"How?"

"In a fashion similar to how Shiala entered your mind."

"It is worth a shot," Shepard replied. "What do I do?"

"Just relax. Close your eyes. Embrace eternity," Liara said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Shepard joked, opening one eye.

"Um," Liara stuttered, not realizing Shepard was joking. "Do not bind you thoughts to time or space. They must remain open."

Shepard closed her eyes again and felt her thoughts being penetrated by awareness. They were searched for any mentions of the Protheans or Reapers. Once again she saw the rampant slaughter of humanoid beings. She could hear their cries of terror and the inhuman sounds of the machines. When Shepard opened her eyes again, she found Liara doubled over, holding her head. "Are you alright?" Shepard asked.

"I never thought the visions would be so vivid," Liara replied.

"Did you see anything useful?"

"It is as you said. There is something important missing from the vision. I am sorry I could not help."

"It is okay," Shepard said, standing up to leave, holding her head as well. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Commander," Liara said.

Shepard left the med bay, feeling another headache coming on from Liara's probing. She didn't want Chakwas asking more questions, so she returned to her cabin without retrieving a pain killer. She napped for a little while, but couldn't sleep much. Her vision was again more vivid and real, having been opened up by Liara again. She snuck a sedative from the med bay when Chakwas wasn't looking and tried to get a decent night's sleep.

The ship progressed towards Noveria as Shepard tried to tidy up some administration duties, one of which was to make sure all the crew was up to date on their proficiency exams. The Alliance made sure each marine maintained their training throughout their career through annual exams. There were a few crew members behind on data system exams but the only thing on Shepard's mind was Kaidan's requirement for a hand to hand combat exam.

The exams had to be administered by a superior officer and Shepard was the only commissioned officer on board that outranked him. She headed down to the engineering bay to find him. "Lieutenant, a word," Shepard called to him.

"Ma'am," he nodded with a smile as he left his work. "This isn't about last night is it?" he added, as she pulled him aside. "If it wasn't my place to bother you in your cabin just say so."

"No," Shepard tried to hide a smile. "I am glad you did. Um, I was going over staff files and you have lapsed on your hand to hand combat exams. I have to take you off active duty until you pass."

"Oh, I meant to get that done sometime," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, no time like the present. Get into your physical training gear and meet me in the gym in five," Shepard said.

"I'm not comfortable, um isn't there someone else who could do it," he blushed.

"Pressly is the XO, but he is in no shape to perform the test," Shepard replied.

"Yes, ma'am, right away," he lowered his eyes in embarrassment.

Shepard was genuinely giddy to be hitting the mats with Kaidan but kept trying to remind herself that she still needed to give him a fair test. She changed into her shorts and sleeveless top and headed back down to the small gym behind the armory. Kaidan came down a few minutes late, his head lowered slightly. He looked good in his uniform, his golden muscular arms and legs bare. Shepard had never seen him barefoot before and was impressed by his cute feet. She was picky about strange things like that.

"Don't worry Alenko, I won't go easy on you," Shepard smiled as Kaidan waited with a sulking tone on his face. She cracked her neck and began winding her shoulders up and stepped onto the training mats. She ran down all the things she would need to test him on and he begrudgingly nodded. They started off easy with a few holds and breaks and then moved onto disarming and pinning.

Kaidan wasn't at all comfortable about having to pin down Shepard with force. He pinned her gingerly and released her. Shepard was slightly annoyed that he seemed to be taking it easy on her and quickly hooked her leg around his ankles, sending him tumbling to the floor. She quickly jumped on top of him and pinned him down with a knee against his back. "Don't patronize me Lieutenant," she grinned, her hand grabbing a handful of his thick hair. "Are you going to go easy on a pretty merc who will put a gun to your head instead?"

"No, ma'am," Kaidan breathed heavily into the mat.

"Good, then try the pin again," she said, climbing off of him. She helped him up as he wiped his forehead with his arm.

"Come on," she motioned with her hands.

He looked frustrated as she moved into the correct stance for him to try again. Instead of taking her legs out as instructed, he used his biotics to flip her over and gently but firmly subdued her. She could feel his trembling breaths as he held her down and she became instantly aroused. "Good, you improvised," she finally replied, after languishing under him for a moment. "You have to use everything you have to your advantage, biotics or not," she said, her voice stifled by his weight.

He released her and helped her up, holding her hand a little longer than needed. "Well, did I pass?" he asked.

"Yeah, go hit the showers. I will put the paperwork through," she replied.

He stared at her for a moment longer before leaving the gym. Shepard's heart was still racing and she was incredibly riled up so she stayed down in the gym a little longer to spar with the punching bag. When she returned to her cabin to shower, she could smell the scent of Kaidan's sweat on her. "Oh, what I wouldn't give for just an hour," she sighed, inhaling his scent as she pulled off her clothes.  
>She eyed the Hanar toy she'd shoved into the shower and decided to take a nice long steam. <p>


	26. The Cold Shoulder

Shepard was up from yet another nap when Joker called to tell her that they were closing in on Noveria. She threw her armor on and headed upstairs to the comm room. "As usual, we don't have many details," Shepard said.

"Commander, we are just entering the atmosphere now," Joker radioed. "I'm trying to contact their docking bay but they aren't being very cooperative."

"I'll be right there," Shepard dismissed everyone and headed up to the bridge.

"They've already threatened to shoot us down if we don't have the proper identification," Joker said as she approached. " Ans I am looking forward to prostate exam they have planned later," he joked.

"I figured as much," Shepard laughed, slapping him on the back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Joker turned around, as they waited for the hangar bay doors to open.

Shepard laughed and stood near the airlock door, waiting to hear the snap of the door locking into place. She lead the team out of the Normandy and were immediately greeted by a heavily armed security detail. "Is there a reason you are standing in my way?" Shepard asked.

"I need to verify your identity," a dark haired woman replied. "I am Captain Matsuo. Head of security with Elanus Risk Control Service. We don't get many Alliance ships here."

"Like my pilot told your traffic control, I am a Spectre. I am here on Citadel business," Shepard replied.

"I find that hard to believe," the blonde woman next to Matsuo scoffed. "She doesn't even look like she knows how to fire that gun of hers."

"I can provide a demonstration if you feel like you've lived a fruitful life," Shepard sneered.

"We are still waiting to verify that information," Matsuo said. "Until then, I'll need to commandeer your weapons. They aren't allowed here."

"No one touches my guns," Shepard said, challenging her.

"I am authorized to use lethal force. Please, just hand over your weapons peacefully," Matsuo said.

"We wouldn't want you to get hurt," the blonde woman said sarcastically.

"That's enough Stirling!" Matsuo barked to the blonde woman. "Please, Commander."

"I don't care about your rules. We have reports of Geth here. I am not walking around without a weapon."

"I assure you there is no Geth here," Matsuo said, interrupted by the intercom.

"Captain Matsuo, you can let the Commander and crew through with their weapons. The Council Charter allows Spectres to carry here," the voice echoed.

"You are free to go in then," Matsuo replied. "Speak with Ms. Parasini when you get inside."

As they left, Stirling had a few last words. "Don't get into any trouble."

Shepard shot her a dirty look and walked inside the entrance. They immediately set off the weapons detectors. A woman rushed to shut them off. "Sorry, Commander," the woman apologized. "I wish we had received notice of your arrival."

"Yeah, I suppose the Council could have said something," Shepard said.

"I am Gianna Parasini, it is a pleasure to meet sort of business are you here on?" Parasini asked. "If you can even tell me."

"I heard there were Geth here," Shepard asked.

"No, we haven't seen anything like that."

"Nothing unusual?" Ashley asked.

"Well, we had an Asari Matriarch show up a few days ago. She went to Peak 15."

"Benezia?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, she had a group of her followers and several crates of equipment. She is an investor here I believe."

"Where is Peak 15, I need to speak with her?"

"It is up the mountain pass. You'd need to speak with Administrator Anoleis in order to get access to the garage leading up."

"I am sure that won't be a problem," Shepard replied.

"Would you like me to take you down to the Administrator now?" Parasini asked.

"Maybe we should go back for Liara? If her mother is here, she might want to come with," Kaidan suggested.

"We will meet you downstairs," Shepard said to Parasini.

They returned to the Normandy and found Liara back at her research in the science lab. She seemed unnerved to hear that her mother was on the planet and was eager to go with them. They returned back to the port and headed into the elevator downstairs to the Administrator's office. Parasini was waiting for them. "I already told the Administrator to be expecting you," she replied.

"We'll be going in then," Shepard said, passing her desk.

The Salarian, Anoleis, sat at his desk. He appeared none too pleased at their arrival. "What is it you need?" he asked in a dismissive tone. "I am far too busy to be dealing with people such as yourself."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Shepard glared at him.

"This meeting is only a formality. I can tell the Council I cooperated with your request to speak with me," he replied.

"I need to get to Peak 15. I have important business with Matriarch Benezia."

"That may well be, but the road has been shutdown. We don't expect it to open for another week or two."

"What is Benezia doing here anyway?" Shepard asked.

"She has come as an executor on behalf of Saren Arterius, who has shares in Binary Helix."

"Then surely you know Saren is a fugitive?"

"It does not matter. It is Benezia that is here, not Saren. You have no authority to arrest someone here on his association. Now kindly leave me to finish my business for the day."

"Thanks for all your help," Shepard replied sarcastically, leaving the office. "Are they pumping asshole gas into this place?" she said under her breath as they passed Parasini.

"There are ways around the Administrator," Parasini said, quietly as they neared the door.

"Were you listening in?" Shepard asked.

"I merely monitor the Administrator's conversations in case security needs to be called," Parasini answered with a devious grin. "You wouldn't believe how many people Anoleis pissed off."

"I'll bet," Shepard sneered. "What are you getting at?'

"Talk to a Turian named Lorik Qui'in. He will be at the hotel bar."

"Why?"

"I can't say more. Talk to him and you will get all the information you need," Parasini answered.

The crew left the office and walked across the large courtyard. "I expected some stonewalling," Shepard remarked. "I didn't expect as much dirty underhandedness."

They found the elevator that led to the private hotel and looked up the bar. The bar was positioned direclty in front of the hotel. "If I worked here, I would need a drink too," Ashley remarked as they stepped into the packed bar. There were a few conversations but most of the patrons were drinking alone. Shepard spotted a Turian drinking by himself and approached him.

"Lorik Qui'in?" she asked.

"What can I do for you Spectre?" he nodded.

"I was told you could help me," Shepard said, sitting down at the table.

"Oh, and what sort of help could I possibly provide to a Council Spectre?" he asked.

"I need to get to Peak 15 but with all the bullshit going on around here, I might not be able to do that without having to split someone's head open," she replied.

"You are getting railroaded by the Administrator I assume?"

"How did you guess?"

"I have dealt with him in the past. And I am in my current situation because of him," he said, lifting his glass up slightly.

"What is going on? This place looks like hell?"

"I was manager of Synthetic Insights until a few days ago. The Administrator was not pleased he didn't receive his monthly "rental' fee."

"Kickbacks?" Shepard replied. Lorik nodded.

"I have evidence in my office that will implicate Anoleis. If someone were to download that evidence, I might accidentally misplace my garage pass."

"I guess we have an arrangement then," Shepard said. "What are the details?"

Lorik relayed directions and the details of his office to Shepard. As they went to leave an Asari named Mallene stopped her. "I heard you are the Spectre going after Saren. The man over there at the bar, in the black coat. He works for Binary Helix."

"How fucking short is the grapevine in this place?" Shepard shook her head.

"That is the company working with Saren?" Kaidan said. Mallene nodded and smiled.

"So? What is your interest? Why bother me?" Shepard asked.

"I represent the Armali Council. We heard Binary Helix has brought in Asari biotics. We want to make sure none of our copyrights are being stolen. I'd like you to hack into his data pad. I have a device that would do so, you just need to distract him so he doesn't notice anything. I'd gladly give you any relevant data pertaining to Saren."

"Everyone here wants something for something," Shepard frowned.

"That is how things work around here," Mallene said. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yeah, give me the device," Shepard said.

"I warn you, he is quite an impatient man," Mallene said.

"I will think of something," Shepard said.

She slipped the small device into her left hand and eyed the man at the bar carefully, forming a plan. "Alright, Kaidan, I am going to stand over there by him. Try to get him to chat me up. After five minutes, come over acting jealous."

"Understood," Kaidan nodded.

Shepard sauntered over to the bar, sighing heavily as she ordered a drink. She drank it in one gulp, slamming the glass down on the bar. The man turned to her, looking concerned. "Are you alright Miss?" he asked, eyeing her up and down.

"Just another hard day," she said, rubbing her hands over her neck seductively. "My muscles are so tense. I really need a full body massage."

"They have an excellent spa here," he said, turning away slightly.

"Where at?" Shepard asked, leaning in slightly.

"Um, up at the hotel?" he replied nervously.

"So what do you do here?" she asked, leaning on the bar.

"I work for one of the corporations here."

"Don't you get restless here?" she asked. "I've only been here a few hours and I felt like I am going stir crazy. I definitely need something else to help me relax."

"How about another drink?" he suggested. He motioned for the bartender.

"Mmmm drinking too much always make me," she smiled. "Uninhibited."

She took the drink from the bartender and finished it with another quick gulp. As he went to glance at his datapad she quickly grabbed his arm seductively. "So, about that massage. There isn't someone you could recommend is there," she winked.

"Well," he laughed slightly, overwhelmed by her strong come on.

Kaidan stormed over in a brilliant fashion, grabbing Shepard gently by the arm. "Every time I let you out of my sight, you are off talking with some other guy," he said, his face deadly serious.

"Sorry honey," she cooed, trying to keep a smile off her face.

"Excuse us," Kaidan glared at him, pulling her away. She wrapped her arms around him as they walked away.

"That was perfect," she whispered in his ear. She lingered on his body until they reached the upper level. She stumbled slightly on the stairs. "Oh, I probably shouldn't have added the drinks into the mix," she added, feeling suddenly light headed. They found Mallene and the rest of the crew waiting for them upstairs. "Here you go," Shepard said, handing Mallene the device.

"Thank you Commander," she said. "I will forward any information to your ship. And a few credits as well."

Mallene left them, Ashley and Liara eyeing Shepard and Kaidan suspiciously. "Ingenious plan Commander," Ashley grinned.

"I need to sit down for a little while," Shepard held her head, feeling dizzy.  
> <p>


	27. Quid Pro

Once Shepard was feeling better, they left the hotel and headed towards the Synthetic Insights office. They found a large group of ERCS guards ransacking the office. They didn't seem too pleased with the Alliance presence but fell quickly to the three soldiers and Liara's biotics. They searched the office and managed to find all the files on Qui'in's computer. As they left the office, they found the angry guard, Stirling waiting for them.

"I was right to keep my eye on you Shepard," Stirling sneered. "I knew you were trouble."

"I am just doing my job," Shepard said. "I doubt Matsuo knows you are here. Working under the table as a petty thug?"

"You aren't as dumb as you look. But I get to tell her I found you trespassing after murdering ten of my crew. No one will question my use of lethal force."

"You are just as bad as Anoleis," Ashley added angrily.

"I'm going to enjoying kicking your ass," Shepard said, reaching for her gun. She ducked down and took cover from the barrage of fire. Stirling and the guards didn't let up, covering each other as they reloaded. Shepard had developed a headache exacerbated by the loud gunfire. She channelled all the anger inside her and sent a wave of biotic energy towards the ERCS guards, knocking them down. She broke from cover and killed them as they were pulling themselves from the floor.

"There are more downstairs," Kaidan said, peeking over the balcony.

They fired carefully over the mezzanine, killing the few guards below. They returned to the elevator and found Parasini waiting for them.

"I heard noise coming from Synthetic Insights. I assume you talked to Qui'in?" Parasini asked.

"Cut the act! What is your angle in this? Pissed off at your boss?" Shepard replied, becoming more and more annoyed.

"I can't talk about it here. Meet me in the bar before you bring the evidence to Qui'in," Parasini said.

"No, I want to talk about it now!" Shepard said.

"My name is really Gianna, but I am with Noveria Internal Affairs. We've been investigating Anoleis for quite some time. I am here on behalf of the Executive Board. I've been undercover in this ridiculous outfit for six months. I need you to convince Qui'in to testify against him."

"You work for him? Why can't you find information yourself?"

"Anoleis keeps his files under lock and key. There is no way I could get to them."

"I am so sick of people asking me for things. No more!" Shepard yelled.

"Just do this one thing and I will make sure you get into that garage. Hell, I will even pay for a night's hotel stay for you."

"Fine," Shepard strode past her.

They headed back up to the hotel bar and found Lorik still at his table, a few more drinks deep. "I got your evidence," Shepard said, handing him the OSD.

"Thank you, Shepard," Qui'in said. "Here is your garage pass. And a little something extra for your trouble," he added, sending a credit transfer to her omni-tool."

"I'd rather you testify against Anoleis," Shepard said. "I was contacted by someone with Noveria IA."

"Why should I?" Lorik asked.

"Because I said so," Shepard replied. "If Anoleis goes down for corruption, you are back to work in no time."

"Very well," he sighed. "Here is a copy of the evidence. When the time comes, I'll testify."

"Thank you," Shepard said.

They headed back towards Anoleis' office. Shepard slipped the OSD across the desk. "Thank you Shepard, I knew I could count on," Gianna replied.

"Whatever gets me out of this place faster," Shepard replied.

"Well, I have an arrest to make. I'll contact you back on your ship about the room. Perhaps the storm will die down in the morning," Gianna said.

"Good luck," Shepard said, leaving Gianna to make her arrest. 


	28. Stress Relief

The crew returned to the Normandy to wait for Gianna's message. Shepard was excited to be spending a night in the luxury hotel. It would be a nice change from the draft captain's cabin. Gianna finally called, arranging for a three room suite for the evening. Shepard hoped the storm would let up a little and allow them to reach Peak 15 in the morning.

She decided to bring Liara and Kaidan along, in hopes of getting to the facility. She wanted Liara to be there when they found her mother. As for Kaidan, Shepard had her own devious reasons. She returned to the hotel and got her room key. The desk clerk informed her about some good restaurants and the subterranean hot spring that guests could access. Soaking in hot water sounded like just the thing to wash off the rude treatment she'd received. She had her bathing suit on hand from her botched vacation and quickly changed. She pulled on a robe and headed down the elevator to the spa area.

She was glad to find it was empty and slipped into one of the pools, letting her body stretch out completely. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the lip of the pool. She was so relaxed, she didn't hear the sound of shuffling feet that approached her. "Ahem," Kaidan cleared his throat softly. She opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her in a robe. She lie reposed in the water with her legs spread wide open.

"Lieutenant," she nodded, closing her legs and sitting up a bit.

"My folks used to live next to some, I could resist," he replied. He bashfully slipped off his robe and got into the water. He was wearing a pair of long black shorts.

"I'm thankful for small luxuries," she smiled, swirling the water with her hands.

"Things were pretty rough today," Kaidan said.

"Yeah, this place really got to me."

"Look Shepard," Kaidan began hesitantly. "I know you've played it pretty close to the book so far. We are making a lot of progress. I just don't want to see you cut corners in order to catch Saren. I've seen what it can do and I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"What do you mean? Are you concerned about me?" she smiled.

"Of course," he grinned. "I am not questioning anything you have done, but I've had some bad experiences you know."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened at BAaT?" He nodded. "Care you share now?" she asked.

"It was an instructor, a Turian named Vyrnnus. He was some merc they hired to train us."  
>"A Turian?"<p>

"Yeah, they kept it under wraps. He was pretty brutal. He cut corners, never let up. A few kids even died."

"So you got your knuckles rapped a few times? That is what you were hiding?"

"He hurt Rahna, the girl I told you about. He broke her arm. She went to pick up a glass of water and he flipped out because she didn't pull it biotically. I stood up to do something."

"And she didn't jump right into your arms after that?"

"Not after I killed him. He came after me with a knife. Once I saw that, I let loose a full biotic kick, snapped his neck."

She stared at him widely, understanding his whole cautious personality. "Thank you for telling me," she smiled. "It helps me understand you better."

"How so?" he asked curiously.

"You're so tentative. I don't think I've been flirted with so cautiously. And you haven't asked me to bed yet. I'm not used to that."

He blushed slightly, hearing this. "I always leave a way out ma'am. Just in case you ever change your mind."

"How could I?" she grinned.

"I try not to think about it too much. I don't want it to interfere with the task at hand," he blushed.

"Well, let's just soak away our troubles," she closed her eyes and let her head fall back again. The image of his golden body dipping into the water was driving her crazy. She sighed heavily and let her foot gaze the smoothness of the rocks under her. She drifted away, letting the hot water smooth her muscles. She only came back to reality when she realized someone had ahold of her foot. "Um, Commander," Kaidan said. "Your foot was rubbing against my leg."

"Sorry," she replied. "I wasn't paying attention."

"I should get out," he lowered his eyes, climbing out of the water quickly. He tried his best to hide the sudden arousal that his wet shorts clung to. He padded out quickly, hiding under his robe.

"Oh, I didn't need to see that," she said, collapsing under the water. The warm water made her dizzy so she pulled herself out and dried off, pulling her robe on again. She sulked back to her room and ordered dinner. She was so tempted to go knock on Kaidan's door but decided against it. From their conversation, he didn't seem too eager to break the rules on fraternization. She showered and pulled her robe back on, flipping the TV on in the process.

When her food arrived, she opened the door to a handsome waiter with a cart in hand. "Here you are ma'am," he smiled, glancing down at her half open robe. He pushed the cart inside and handed her a data pad to sign the bill. "Is there anything else I can get for you?" he asked.

She felt like she was in bad porno vid. Would she ask him to come back later for an extra tip? She couldn't bear to do something with Kaidan so close. She wanted to pound on his door and yell "do me now!" but she only handed the data pad back and gave the handsome man an extra smile. He left her with the food as she swore quietly. "Of course, of course," she paced the room. "It has to be the hottest room attendant in the hotel!"

She ate restlessly, thinking about the good looking waiter and Kaidan. When she heard another knock on the door, she got up anxiously, wondering who it was. "Lieutenant," she asked as she opened the door, finding Kaidan standing outside.

"Um," he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I just wanted to check in before I headed to bed. Are we heading out first thing in the morning?" he asked.

"We'll see how the weather looks," she smiled, sensing there was more he wanted to say. Kaidan lingered for a moment before saying good night. 'Oh just ask to come in already,' she thought to herself as she shut the door. She felt like she wanted to scream. She laid down, wishing she had a sedative to help her sleep. It was hard getting to bed with Kaidan on her mind, so she drifted from bawdy fantasies until she fell asleep. 


	29. Kaidan in Bed

Shepard's plan for a great night's sleep in the luxurious hotel bed was not to be. She had terrible nightmares, worse than they had ever been before. She woke up screaming after having dreamt that she was being tortured by the machines. Some one knocked loudly on her door moments later. "Commander, are you alright?" Kaidan asked from the other side of the door.

"I am fine," Shepard said, opening the door. He stood in only a pair of loose pants, pistol in hand "I just had a nightmare," she added. Liara emerged from her room, lowering her eyes bashfully at Kaidan's bare chest.

"More nightmares?" Liara asked.

"Nightmares?" Kaidan wondered.

"From the beacon," Shepard added.

"Perhaps I could help in some way. There are certain types of meditation I could teach you," Liara said.

"Maybe another time. We all need to be well rested tomorrow," Shepard replied.

"Very well," Liara said, returning to her room. Kaidan lingered in the shared main room, setting his pistol down on the table.

"You scared me for a moment. Is there anything I can get you?" he asked, rubbing his arm shyly.

"Not unless you have something for this headache," she smiled, touching her aching temple.

"Lay down," he said, stepping into the room.

"What?" she asked excitedly.

"I know a few massage tricks for my migraines," he smiled.

"Where do you want me?" she grinned.

"The bed should work," he pointed.

He climbed onto the bed and motioned for her to put her head in his lap. "This is strictly professional, right Lieutenant?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"Of course," he smiled. "Just close your eyes and relax."

She closed her eyes, squinting at him slightly. His fingers touched her face gently, massaging her temples. He touched several pressure points on her head, neck, and shoulders. His hands were soft and warm and worked at near part of her body. She nodded off eventually and woke up in the morning carefully covered with the bedding. "He even tucked me in," she grinned as she headed for the shower.

She entered the main room after changing, finding Kaidan sitting in a chair reading from a data pad. "Morning Commander," he smiled.

"Any change in the weather?" Shepard wondered.

"Little change so far. I guess it can't be helped," he replied.

"Let's get breakfast," she added. "Where's Liara?"

"She's still in her room. I didn't want to bother her."

"We'll leave her a note," Shepard said, heading for the door.

They left Liara a brief note and headed down to the cafe attached to the hotel. "Thank you for last night," Shepard remarked as they were in the elevator.

"Not a problem," Kaidan said. "How long have you had them?"

" Ever since touching that damn beacon," she replied.

"The same with the nightmares?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, as the elevator doors slide open.

"I'm sorry," he smiled warmly at her as they locked eyes for a moment.

They headed into the cafe, seeing Lorik seated at one of the tables. He waved them over, a drink in hand. "Deciding to stop managing the bar and get back to it?" Shepard joked, sitting down across from Lorik.

"With Anoleis gone, I don't have to worry," the Turian smiled slightly. "What are your plans now?"

"We need to find Benezia. Any idea what she is doing up at Peak 15?" Shepard asked.

"When she came through here, she claimed she was here to check on one of Saren's investments. She put on quite the show. A whole troop of Asari commandos. Tight pinstriped suit. It caused quite a stir with our male staff."

"Yeah, that sounds like something you'd see on one of those extranet fetish sites," Kaidan said offhandedly.

"What did you do after I fell asleep last night?" Shepard laughed.

Kaidan blushed and lowered his eyes innocently. Lorik laughed and patted Kaidan roughly on the shoulder. "I think we'd get along!" he added.

"Any idea what sort of investment?" Shepard asked, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"I don't know, but an Omega Code was issued right before communications were cut off," Lorik answered.

"What does that mean?"

"It could mean any number of things, but it is never a good thing."

Liara finally came down into the cafe and Shepard waved her over. "We should get going soon," Shepard remarked. "Liara, what do you want to eat?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly eat," Liara replied. "I am too nervous. I haven't seen or talked to my mother for many years. "

"Are you sure you want to come? You could return to the Normanday if you want?" Shepard asked.

"No, I want to come," Liara said.

They excused themselves, wishing Lorik good luck and headed towards the garage. They heard gunfire and quickly ran upstairs and found Ashley barricaded against the Mako. Several Geth stood in front of the garage doors. "They must have been left here to stand guard," Ashley yelled, firing her assault rifle. "I was tired of waiting on the ship, so I came down."

"Benezia must have packed them in the crates she had with her," Kaidan yelled, ducking away from the fire. "There could be hundreds here."

They tried to fight the Geth as best they could. The garage was full of plenty of explosives so they had to plan each shot carefully. Captain Matsuo and some of her team came to investigate the noise and helped clean up the remaining Geth. "What is going on?" Matsuo asked.

"The Geth ambushed us," Ashley said.

"Benezia probably left them here to keep watch for us," Shepard said. "There may be more."

"Unbelievable," Matsuo said. "I need to get ahold of my superiors before we have a widespread panic. You three, stay here," she asked her security officers.

"Let's head out," Shepard said, opening the door to the Mako. "I just don't know how we are all going to fit."

"I can return to the Normandy if you want," Kaidan volunteered.

"No. Williams, I want you to secure this area," Shepard said. "Don't let anyone follow us up."

"Aye-aye, Ma'am," Ashley replied begrudgingly.

The rest of the team packed into the Mako and headed out into the blizzard. It was slow going up the thin mountain roads. They soon encountered more Geth who guarded the road. "Benezia must have left them all along the mountain," Kaidan said, looking out the machine gun scope. They plowed through the Geth and slowly made their ascent up the mountain. Visability lessened as they drew closer to the large structure built into the peak of the mountain Shepard assumed was Peak 15. 


	30. Some Hot Some Cold

They finally arrived at the entrance to the complex but found the garage doors stuck closed. They parked the Mako and cautiously entered the building. Geth and Krogan mercenaries stalked the large cargo bay. "Damn it," Shepard swore. "Can't anything be easy?"

The Geth spotted them quickly and began shooting at them. The Krogans held back, using their biotics to smash any closer areas of cover. Once the gunfire had died down, they could hear an automated announcement echoing through the facility. There was a biohazard warning for the entire complex.

"What the hell happened up here?" Shepard wondered aloud.

"It looks like the power is out. If we can get it back on, maybe we can find some answers," Kaidan said, looking at a dead computer console.

They headed into the complex and found it in disarray. They found a complex map and started to make their way to the critical systems sector. The place looked torn apart. Snow was blowing through the broken windows in the deserted cafeteria and all of the tables had been overturned. "The Geth did all this? This just seems excessive," Shepard said, looking at the shatter glass. As she passed a vent a strange noise echoed through it.

"What was that noise?" Liara asked, looking around carefully.

"Something very bad has happened here," Kaidan said, peeking out the broken window.

They heard a large crash of metal and saw several large insect-like creatures emerging from the vents. "What the fuck is that?" Sheperd yelled, firing immediately at the charging insects. The acid they spit began quickly melted the snow and floor around them. Kaidan and Liara threw the creatures up in the air before they could get any closer.

Shepard didn't stop firing until her pistol overheated. "What are these things?" Kaidan asked, looking over the corpses.

"I've never seen anything like this," Shepard replied. She could see the acid continuing to burn through the metal floor. She took a sample from the creature and began scanning xeno databases on her omni-tool. She knew it was unsafe to linger and quickly ordered them to move out. They took another elevator that led down into the critical systems core.

"Here, Commander," Kaidan said, walking towards a small machine. "This is a back up generator. We can use it to get the power on." He accessed the panel and power flipped on suddenly. A notice overhead announced that the VI interface was offline and could only be activated manually. "That looks like the core over there," Kaidan pointed to the room straight ahead of them. "The VI will probably be our best bet to find out what happened."

The VI core was at the end of the hall. Shepard rode the small platform down to the core in order to repair it. A flashing message told her that the memory core had been damaged and needed to be moved to another bank. In order to prevent data loss, the modules needed to be switched at the exact same time. "Ah, Lieutenant, I think I am going to need a little help here," she called, raising the lift back up.

"Sure thing," he replied, eyeing the tight space.

He stepped inside and they lowered down into the core again. There was barely enough room to stand. "About those extranet fetish sites. I was only kidding about those," Kaidan said, looking at the error message.

Shepard laughed loudly. "Relax Kaidan. I am glad to hear you are a fully functioning man," she grinned.

"Absolutely functional," he replied, blushing slightly.

"Let's get back to work Romeo," she smiled, patting him on the backside. He seemed flustered for a moment but they managed to move the data and took the lift back up. The VI interface opened automatically. "I am MIRA, are you trying to repair the station?"the VI asked.

"Yes," Shepard replied. "Tell me what happened here. "

"Stage I alert was issued from the hot labs at Rift Station. Loose contaminant. Stage II alert issued. Isolation failure. Stage III, contaminants in tramway. Code Omega initiated. Station shut down to proceed."

"Those creatures? Are those the contaminants? Did they come from the hot labs?"

"Unknown. My systems were purged when the Omega Code was initiated."

"What were they working on at the Rift Station?"

"That is privledged access information. You currently do not have the proper authority. Please contact a Binary Helix executive for access."

"What about Benezia?" Kaidan asked.

"Matriarch Benezia took the tram to Rift Station yesterday," the VI answered.

"Is the tram operational?" Shepard asked.

"The tram is currently unavailable. Landline connections have been ejected for safety purposes. The main reactor is inoperable."

"How do I fix them?" she asked.

"The landlines must be reconnected to the main grid. The main reactor fuel lines must be opened."

"Where is the reactor and landlines?"

"The landlines are accessible via the elevator behind you. The main reactor is beyond the core and is accessed by an elevator across from the tramway entrance."

"Those insects couldn't have done all this. Saren has something to do with this," Shepard said, signing off from the VI. They headed to the roof to fix the landlines. Shepard's omni-tool buzzed with a search result. The result was from an ancient database of extinct creatures. "Is says the creatures are Rachni. How is that possible?" Shepard asked aloud.

"The Krogan wiped them out, it isn't," Kaidan replied.

"Could the scientist be cloning them?" Liara wondered.

"Either way, this place stinks of corruption. I wouldn't put it past them," Shepard replied.

As they waited for the elevator to rise they heard more of the tell tale rustling of the creatures. They proceeded carefully forward, finding more of the insects on the roof. They were throw easily off the roof and Kaidan attended to reattaching the necessary lines. "They are certainly acting aggressively like Rachni," Kaidan commented.

They returned past the core and went to reattach the fuel lines. It was clear the Geth had sabotaged them, as they still stalked the corridor surround the reactor. It was a quick fix to get them back online and they were able to return to the now working tram station. They found their entrance blocked by a pair of Rachni.

"Open the doors," Shepard asked the VI terminal.

"There are loose contaminants in the decontamination chamber. Use of the plasma jets is recommended," the VI answered.

"Activate them," Shepard ordered.

"The fail safe system is currently in effect. The plasma jets cannot be accessed at this time."

"Oh for fucks sake!" Shepard exclaimed. "Can we override the fail safe?"

"The fail safe can be overridden manually at this terminal."

"Why the hell didn't you just tell me to do that?" Shepard asked rhetorically.

"Please be more specific in your query."

"Stupid fucking thing," Shepard mumbled, looking through the controls on the terminal. She was able to hack into the system and override the system. The jets took care of the two Rachni and they passed through the decontamination chamber, the floor still smoking slightly from the jets. They got the tram working and headed towards the Rift Station, expecting to find even more trouble when they arrived. 


	31. Rifts

The tram station on the other side was eerily deserted when they arrived. There were no signs of humans, rachni, or geth. "This place is deserted. For a science lab, it should be teaming with people," Kaidan commented

"Let's head down to the barracks and see if anyone else is alive or if they have seen Benezia," Shepard said.

They took the elevator downstairs and found a group of soldiers barricaded, with their guns aimed at them. "Sorry," a man apologized. "We couldn't be too sure what was coming down."

"Are those things coming down the elevator?" Shepard asked. "They don't look intelligent enough to access the buttons."

"They may not be too smart, but they are damn sure aggressive," he replied. "My name is Captain Ventralis. I am head of security here. We've been battling these bugs for days. May I be so blunt as to ask why you are here?"

"Has Matriarch Benezia been through here?" Shepard asked.

"What do you want with her," he replied suspiciously. "She was sent here to stop these things. She went to the labs yesterday."

"Did she leave?"

"Who knows? Everyone else is down in the med bay. Here," he said, handing her a key card. "This will get you to the hot labs, though I highly recommend not going down there."

"Where did these things come from? My scans say they are Rachni," Shepard asked.

"They came from the Hot Labs. Only the volus, Han Olar got out alive and he isn't saying much. Next thing we know, this place is crawling with those things."

"I'll go speak with everyone downstairs, she what they know then," Shepard replied.

They continued past the security detail down into the main barracks. The staff was littered throughout the area, some appearing to be ill. Shepard sent the team out to ask questions. She approached an Asari and asked about Benezia. "Just because I am an Asari, I am supposed to know every other Asari in the galaxy," the Asari replied rudely.

"No, but a Matriarch coming through here is a rare thing," Shepard snapped back.

"No, I do not know her. I was only transferred here recently. I am on the science team. My name is Alestia Iallis."  
>"Any idea what where those things came from?"<p>

"No, that isn't my department," she sighed. "Can I return to my meditations now," she added in a dismissive tone.

"Knock yourself out," Shepard said indignantly and walked away.

"I talked to a Salarian doctor, Palon. He said that the volus, Han Olar was downstairs in the science team's barracks." Kaidan said.

"Let's go talk to him," Shepard replied. "He's got to have the answers.

They headed down to speak with Dr. Olar, passing a large Elcor merchant. They found Dr. Olar downstairs. They asked him about the creatures. He confrimed they were Rachni. "The Rachni are extinct, how is that possible?" Shepard asked.

"They found an egg on an old ship," Olar replied. "They decided to hatch it. They found out it was a queen. After she laid her eggs, they took them away in hopes of making them obedient."

"Whose idiotic idea was that?"

"Let's just say I wasn't the one making the decisions."

"Can you tell me anything else about them?

"There is little else to tell, everyone is sick. Dr. Cohen has quite a few of them up in the medical bay."

"I'll see what I can do," Shepard replied, thanking him for his information. As they headed back up the elevator, Shepard wondered about the Rachni. It had taken a vast Krogan army to take them down. She almost couldn't believe that someone would think of hatching one.

They went down to the medical bay and found Dr. Cohen attending to several sick scientists. "Are these people sick from the Rachni?" Shepard asked.

"What? Who are you?" Dr. Cohen asked, startled at their arrival.

"I am a Spectre with the Council. I am here for Benezia," Shepard answered.

"Yes, she came through here," he said.

"So what is wrong with them?" Shepard asked.

"They were exposed to some sort of toxin during an experiment. I don't know much about it. Most of the people in charge are dead," he lied obviously.

"Look, I am here trying to help. So you can jerk me around or I can try to help these people."

"It was a bio-weapon we were developing. When the power was cut during the problem in the hot labs it disabled our quarantine system."

"I'd say you got what you deserved doing illegal research, but if I can save some lives, I'll help. Is there an antidote for this toxin?"

"We were working on it, all our notes are in the quarantine lab next to the barracks. Captain Ventralis has locked it down. He has started acting strangely ever since the Matriarch came through."

"How so?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know. Maybe it is lack of sleep. He keeps coming down for stims," Dr. Cohen added.

"I'll speak to Ventralis, he'll let me through."

They left the medical bay and headed back towards Ventralis' post. He agreed to let them go though begrudgingly, looking even more nervous when they asked more questions. He radioed to the guard as they walked away and Shepard heard him say something else. She was growing more and more worried about his stability. He definitely didn't seem on the up and up. She hoped at least to be able to cure some of the sick scientists and then perhaps give the guards some much needed rest. 


	32. A Mother's Power

They went immediately to the quarantine lab to search for the antidote. Kaidan looked through the notes and was able to remove a few test samples from one of the machines. "I think this might do it," Kaidan said. "I am no doctor, but the notes look accurate." As Kaidan verified the samples, they heard the doors open and saw the Asari doctor standing with three Geth.

"How did you get past the guards with those Geth? You must be working for Benezia," Shepard narrowed her eyes.

"Benezia told me to keep an eye out for trouble. And you three look like trouble," Dr. Iallis said. She grabbed one of the Geth's rifles and began firing upon them.

"Damn it!" Shepard yelled, ducking behind the desk. She couldn't a good angle to fire without exposing herself, so she motioned for Kaidan to throw the table at them. As the Geth lay pinned under the table, the soldier were able to dispatch them.

"She must have been working for my mother," Liara said. "She has the markings of an acolyte."

"I wonder if she caused the problems in the Hot Labs. This definitely wasn't an accident," Shepard said, looking over the bodies. "Everything here seems to be suspicious."

Shepard and the team returned with the cure to Dr. Cohen, who took the samples immediately. "We will try a small dose," he looked at the vials. "Thank you Commander."

"Do you know the Asari scientist that worked here? She just tried to kill us," Shepard asked.

"Dr. Iallis? No, I didn't know her well. She hasn't been here long. She was transferred here at the request one of our invertors," he answered.

"Let me guess, Saren," Shepard shook her head.

"Yes," Dr. Cohen confirmed.

It was late so Shepard decided to bed down for the night . She tried to radio the Normandy but with the storms, there was no way to get in contact with them. There wasn't much room for them so they had to sleep on the floor. Dr. Cohen managed to find a few extra blankets for them. Kaidan offered the two women his blanket but they both refused.

In the morning, Dr. Cohen let them know the cure had worked. "Another thing, Commander," Dr. Cohen began. "While you were asleep, Captain Ventralis came down again. The guards are getting really agitated now. I'd be careful."

"Ventralis was pretty adamant about keeping us out of the hot labs, lets go take a look. He has to be hiding something," Shepard said.  
>They headed towards the hot labs, finding Ventralis gone from his post. "I don't like this," Shepard remarked, seeing all of their guns and equipment gone as well. They looked around a bit more but could find no sign of him or his men. They took the elevator down to the labs and found a man sitting by himself. "What are you doing down here?" Shepard asked.<p>

"Are you here to stop them?" he asked.

"Yes. Now who are you?"

"Dr. Tartakovsky. I worked on the team rebuilding the Rachni."

"Why would you do something so stupid?"

"It was a queen. She laid eggs and they moved her here. They kept the eggs separate from her, in hopes of making them obedient to," he went on before Shepard interrupted.

"Why would they do this?"

"I don't know, but it didn't work. These Rachni must be destroyed. Without their mother they are out of control. "

"How many are there? How do we destroy them all?"

"The neutron purge. I have the codes right here," Dr. Tartakovsky said. As he handed her the code, a Rachni burst out of a nearby vent. Shepard tried to push him out of the way but the Rachni drove one of its pincers through the Doctor's chest.

"Fuck," Shepard yelled, as the Rachni threw the Doctor aside like a rag doll. The Rachni stood in front of her, poised to strike again. She felt herself being pulled back and went tumbling to the floor. Kaidan had thrown her backwards to keep her out of harms way and had thrown the Rachni into the window.

"Are you alright?" Kaidan asked, reaching out a hand to help her up. The Rachni lie smashed up against the glass.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking his hand.

She took the data pad from Tartakovsky's limp hand and looked for the codes. They found a MIRA terminal and began the sequence. They didn't have long to get out but they made it back to the elevator before the lower labs were sunk into the glacier. "Hopefully that is the last of them," Kaidan said.

"Now we just need to find Benezia. If she wasn't in the Hot Labs, she has to be somewhere else in the facilty," Shepard replied.

As they came into the main barracks, they found Ventralis waiting for them. "Sorry to have to do this, but we have orders from Benezia. I hoped the Rachni would take care of you downstairs," he said, before motioning his team to attack.

"You son of a bitch," Shepard yelled as she ducked behind a crate. "Why is everyone trying to kill me today?" she said angrily as she cocked her sniper rifle. She began carefully picking off the ERCS guards that were barricaded around the room. She saved Ventralis for last and took him down with one shot.

"He has armed the defense grid," Kaidan yelled, seeing assault drones ahead.

"Can we hack them to help us?" Shepard replied.

"I will try ma'am," Kaidan responded.

They hacked the drones and proceeded on through the restricted area. They made their way through the back area which was full of more ERCS guards. Ventralis must have warned them to shoot on sight. Shepard regretted having to kill them all, but she had little choice. The guards eventually led them towards a small containment lab where Benezia was waiting for them.

"Captain Ventralis told me you were here. I am glad that we are able to meet face to face. Even if you try to manipulate me by bringing my daughter here," Benezia said.

"She is here because she wants to be," Shepard said. "I am sure she is curious why you have chosen such an evil path."

"Evil? I am trying to save the galaxy. With an army of Rachni behind us, we would be able to negotiate with the Reapers," Benezia replied.

"If only you could control them. That doesn't seem to be going so well," Shepard sneered back.

"You will all pay for what you have done to his army," Benezia said angrily. Benezia quickly threw a stasis field onto Shepard. She was still conscious but totally paralyzed. Kaidan stepped in front of her to protect her, as the stasis effect slowly began to wear off. She hit the ground immediately, firing from behind a nearby crate. She concentrated her fire on the storming Asari Commandos but Liara tossed them aside with tears in her eyes. Shepard felt a pang of sadness, regretting she had brought her along to face her mother.

They slowly made their way through the waves of Geth and Commandos, finally leaving only Benezia, who held her head in pain. "What happened to you mother? Why would you work with Saren?" Liara asked sadly.  
>"I am free," Benezia said, regaining some of her composure.<p>

"Come again?" Shepard asked, pointing her pistol at her.

"The Indoctrination. It bores into your thoughts. My mind is finally clear," Benezia replied. "You must believe me."

"Is this what your follower Shiala told me," Shepard asked, lowering her gun.

"All your thoughts tell you to say yes to Saren's whims. He sent me here to find the location of the Mu relay. The Rachni know where it is."

"Why is the Mu Relay so important?"

"It is the gateway to the Conduit."

"Did the Rachni tell you where it was?"

"It is on this OSD, here take it," Benezia handed the disk to her. She collapsed in pain again. "I can't fight it anymore. You must stop him," she croaked.

"No, mother!" Liara reached out.

Benezia lashed out at them again, knocking them over in a wave of energy. Shepard flew back into the wall, knocking all of the air out of her lungs. As she pulled herself up, she saw Liara standing over Benezia. She was holding her down with a biotic field. Liara collapsed as she crushed her mother's chest with a heavy biotic blow. She sunk her head to her chest and began sobbing quietly "Liara, I am sorry," Shepard said, placing a hand of her shoulder.

"It is alright," Liara sniffled. "See wasn't my mother anymore. Saren changed her into something else."

"We'll get him," Shepard said, hugging her slightly. She looked down at Benezia, who had reached a dying hand to her daughter. 


	33. Brakes

Shepard tried to comfort Liara as best she could but it didn't seem to help much. Liara knelt at her dead mother's side without speaking. "What about the Queen?" Kaidan finally broke the eery silence of the lab. Shepard stood up and approached the tank.

"After all this trouble," Shepard eyed the giant insect. Before she spoke another word, one of the dead commandos suddenly rose and walked towards the glass enclosure. "What the hell?" Shepard said, pointing her gun as the Asari began to speak.

"She speaks for us," a strange voice emanated from the Asari.

"Who, the Rachni Queen?" Shepard asked.

"In order to hear our music, we must speak through others. Your words are colorless."

"What do you want? Your brood has killed almost everyone on this station," Shepard asked.

"They lost their voices. It was wise that you should end their voiceless song. We only wish to hide and began to sing new songs."

"I can't let you go. Your kind terrorized the galaxy for hundreds of years. The entire galactic community fought to destroy you."

"We did not want that sour song. We wished only to protect our broods. We will only return to the hidden to sing harmony."

"I don't, understand," Shepard turned, pinching the corners of her eyes. She looked towards Kaidan and Liara for advice.

"I don't know much about what started the war, but I don't think killing an entire species can be justified in any way," Kaidan said.

"I agree with the Lieutenant," Liara nodded. "Whatever their past misdeeds, they should have the chance to survive."

Shepard stood thinking for a while. Regardless of her decision, she knew the Council would not be happy. They were already angry that she had destroyed the Thorian. "I won't be the cause of total extinction," Shepard finally sighed. " I will let you go but remember this moment. Every species has the capability of mercy."

The Rachni turned its head towards her. "This one will begin songs of praise for your kind," the Asari said, before dropping to the ground. Shepard paused at the controls, hesitating for a moment. She pressed the release button and watched as the Queen slowly scurried out the opened hatch.

"Let's get the hell off this planet," Shepard said, the feeling of weariness finally overwhelming her. They headed towards the tram station, finding the remaining scientists and patients huddled on the seats. "Hopefully the weather has let up so the shuttles can pick you up," Shepard said.

Dr. Cohen thanked her and began loading people onto the tram. They returned to Peak 15, but found the storm still raging. Shepard promised to send help as soon as they returned to Port Hanshan. Shepard and her team returned to the Mako and began the long journey back down the mountain road. It was well into the night before they returned to the port and pulled the Mako into the cargo bay. Shepard didn't bother debriefing or sending a report to the Council. She headed straight for a long hot shower to warn her frozen went to bed immediately after, falling into a long exhausted sleep.

She felt awful but pulled the crew together for a short meeting in the morning. They didn't have any other new leads. "What about the Relay?' Ashley asked. "We could head there?"

"The Mu Relay links to dozens of systems. There is no way to tell where Saren would be," Liara said.

"Who put you in charge?" Ashley said backhandedly.

Liara lowered her eyes, still looking shaken from what had occurred on Noveria. "Williams?" Shepard looked at Ashley angrily. "I know everyone is stressed. We have run out of leads. I am going to put the heat on the Council. In the meantime, the Geth seem to be amassing in the Armstrong Nebula. They must have something to do with Saren. So we are heading there next," Shepard said, dismissing the crew.

"I will look over the data again," Tali said as she left. Her tone revealed she was pleased they would be going after the Geth.

Shepard remained alone in the comm room and decided to link up to the Council. The council was furious that she released the Rachni Queen. "They just want to be left alone," Shepard replied. "I wasn't about to eradicate an entire species. You already bitched me out about destroying the Thorian."

"I hope you are right Commander," the Turian Councilor shook his head. "Or we all will pay for your mistake."

"Look, I need more than what you guys are giving me. I am working with bogus leads, no intel. What the hell do you expect me to do?" she raised her voice.

"We are doing the best that we can, Shepard. We are impressed with what you have done so far," the Asari Councilor said in a reassuring tone. "We have agents out gathering intel as we speak. We will forward everything to you right away."

Shepard shut off the comm, shaking her head. "Fuck heads!" she said to herself as she headed downstairs. She was done answering to them and was going to start doing things her way. She passed the mess, seeing Kaidan eating as usual. "How are you not five hundred pounds?" she smiled, sitting down.

He grinned as he swallowed a mouthful of food. "My body needs all the fuel it can get," he said. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Look, my head has been spinning since our last talk, and what happened at the hotel and everything."

"Yeah, I know," she smiled.

"I don't want to distract you. It's getting hard to keep my emotions out this. I don't want to muddy things."

Shepard sighed, seeing his hesitation returning again. "Maybe we should, um, keep our distance for a while then. Until we get things settled with Saren," she suggested, staring into his plaintive brown eyes.

"I think that would be, uh, beneficial," he replied. "I'll, keep concentrated on my duties," he paused. "And out of your hair."

She left him sitting at the table and returned to her cabin, wondering why he was suddenly so hesitant again. She sat down to go over the Geth data again. Tali had already sent a few more reports over. Shepard browsed over them before putting on a vid to watch. She didn't want to think about Kaidan, Saren or the Geth for a few days. They would be able to reach the Armstrong Nebula in less than a week and could begin searching out the Geth encampments.


	34. Turning Up the Heat

As the Normandy continued towards the Armstrong Nebula, Shepard settled into a routine of avoiding Kaidan. She read a lot and tried to keep her mind off him. She looked in on Liara, who hadn't left the science lab since they had returned from Noveria. She found Liara deep in research, data pads scattered around her and old food trays stacked on the floor. "Something you need Commander?" Liara asked as Shepard entered.

"I wanted to check in on you," Shepard said, sitting down. "You've been hiding in here for a while. I was concerned about you. I thought it would be an appropriate time to talk."

"If this is about my mother, I can assure you, I am okay," Liara replied.

"You aren't a very good liar," Shepard shook her head. "It doesn't matter how much distance you have from a parent, losing them still hurts."

"I have great pity for her. She died a shell of herself. Not the powerful Matriarch she once was," Liara said sadly.

"Saren is smooth and manipulative. I can see how anyone could be taken in. You don't have to stay in her by yourself. I am always available to talk."

"Thank you Shepard," Liara smiled. "I can see why the Lieutenant likes you so much."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked nervously.

"He tries to hide it well. You both do, but my species is quite intuitive. Is human affection always so subtle?"

"It isn't always," Shepard replied, slightly embarrassed that Liara had caught on to them. "But we are in an awkward situation," she added nervously.

"I understand," Liara replied, sensing Shepard's nervousness about the subject. "I didn't mean to bring it up. I just find you very, interesting," she blushed.

"Me, interesting? You don't get out much," Shepard laughed.

"Archaeology is a solitary occupation," Liara replied.

"I think it would be nice. I like the solitude sometimes. Sometimes humans rely on each other for company far too much."

"Yes, but it affords you no social graces," Liara smiled slightly.

"Those can be picked up anywhere. You just have to get out and talk to people or just listen."

"Thank you for the advice." Liara smiled slightly. "Perhaps I will come out for dinner sometime."

"Good idea," Shepard replied.

They talked more about the Protheans and Shepard's continuing nightmares. Liara taught her some meditations to do before bed, which Shepard tried. They helped a little, but Shepard continued taking sedatives so she could get a decent night's rest. The Normandy made its way to the Armstrong Cluster quickly. Tali was eager to accompany Shepard in the Mako, bringing Garrus along for his tech skills as well. They worked well together, even if Garrus flirted with Tali a little too much. Tali was mostly quiet and shy, never speaking her mind unless it involved the Geth.

She had lived such a sheltered life in the Migrant Fleet that she often put her foot in her mouth. Shepard tried to be reassuring but Tali remained alone in engineering most of the time. Tali talked frequently with Garrus about tech matters, but didn't seem to catch onto his constant flirting. It was like watching some cheesy teenage vid. Tali was grateful to Shepard for the Geth data they were gathering. She hoped it would prove a valuable gift that would ensure her a place on a new ship in the fleet.

Using the data recovered on Feros, they were able to track the Geth encampments from system to system. They tracked the last garrison of Geth to the Grissom System. They easily put an end to the incursion in two week's time. They scoured the Geth terminals for information on Saren but couldn't find anything useful. Shepard contemplated their next move, still waiting for any word from the Council. She had stopped expecting much from them. She was starting to wonder if they were dragging their heels for a reason.

She busied herself looking over the data from Exo-Geni and decided to investigate shipments of some samples that had been sent to Nodacrux. They headed to the system but found the planet quiet and seemingly empty. Kaidan and Garrus accompanied Shepard down in the Mako. "There is supposed to be something here?" Garrus wondered, seeing no signs of life.

As they drove towards the small bunker they had passed, they found the place crawling with Thorian Creepers. "There can't be another Thorian could there?" Kaidan wondered as they approached a small facility.

"I hope not," Shepard said, stepping out of the Mako. She looked over the dead creepers that were guarding the building. They looked similar to the ones they had seen on Feros.

"It looks like they were trying to get inside," Garrus said, pointing to a clawed door panel. They headed into the bunker and found the place full of more creepers.

"Do we have anymore of those gas grenades left?" Shepard asked, hearing loud shrieks coming from the doorway.

"I think I have one," Kaidan said, pulling it out of his ammo pouch.

"Toss it!" Shepard yelled, drawing the attention of the creepers. The grenade disintegrated most of the rushing creepers and the crew was easily able to dispatch the rest. They cleared the lab and found a small group of scientists barred in a back room. "What the hell is going on here?' Shepard asked. "Who is in charge?"

"I guess that would be me," a woman stepped forward. "I am Dr. Ross. I am the chief Exo-Geni researcher here."

"What the hell are you doing with Thorian creepers?" Shepard asked. "What are you researching exactly?"

"What? How do you know about the Thorian?" Dr. Ross asked.

"I destroyed it when I went to Feros," Shepard answered.

"We were programming them to be docile, then all of a sudden they started lashing out. You must have triggered something on Feros," Dr. Adams added.

"What you are doing is not only illegal, but it is immoral. You are experimenting on humans! These people aren't volunteer test subjects," Shepard glared at her.

"Can't we just overlook at this. I mean, no one got hurt here. Everyone we lost signed a contract," Dr. Ross pleaded.

"A contract to be turned into one of these things? I don't think so," Shepard replied.

"What about money? I have some savings."

"Are you trying to bribe a Council Spectre?" Shepard said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Look, I can't go to jail. This isn't my fault," Dr. Ross said, motioning for their mercenary security detail to attack.

They retreated to the doorway, avoiding the mercenaries' fire. "Why does everyone you talk to try to kill you?" Garrus asked with a slight chuckle.

Shepard only shook her head and helped carefully picked off the mercs. They were second rate and went down without a problem. Shepard made sure to upload all the data they could find and returned to the Normandy after making sure the lab was completely clear. She found more links to the Cerberus group in the files. She did another search on them in the Alliance extranet files but couldn't find anything else useful. Shortly after she left her console, she received a video message from an Alliance Admiral named Kahoku.

"Commander Shepard, my name is Kahoku. I was just on the extranet and saw that you had accessed my report on Cerberus," the Admiral started out.

"I think they may have some link to a company named Exo-Geni, who have been experimenting on humans," Shepard replied.

"That sounds right up their alley," Kahoku answered.

"Who are they?" Shepard asked. "I haven't been able to find much."

"They used to be apart of the Alliance Black Ops program, but they have gone completely rouge. A team of my marines was sent in response to a distress beacon near one of their last known bases."

"Part of the Alliance? What the hell were they into?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know too many details but they are totally off the grid now."

"So you think they may have something to do with your missing marines?"

"Hell, I don't know. I don't have much solid evidence, but I hoped that perhaps you could take a look at the site. They were out in the Terminus Systems so I am getting no help from the Citadel."

"I'll see what I can do, Admiral. Send me the coordinates."

She received the coordinates and looked over the report he had sent her. The planet was close enough that it wouldn't interfere if the Council finally sent some intel. Shepard told Joker to set a new course back to the Artemis Tau Cluster. She was ready to serve Exo-geni with a slew of charges with or without the support of the Council.

They landed on Edolus a few days later. They found the active Alliance beacon still sending out the distress signal. Things were suspiciously quiet and empty as they headed toward the beacon. As they neared the signal, a giant Thresher Maw exploded from under the dirt. Garrus quickly spun the Mako around and they were able to evade and fire on the maw until it fell back into the ground in a loud roar.

Shepard stepped carefully out of the Mako to disable the singal, the heavy scent of the Thresher Max acid still in the air. Several desiccated bodies lie in the sandy earth. Shepard could see Alliance badges on their tattered armor. "This was set up by someone. The marines landed right next to the nest. They never had a chance," Shepard said as she returned to the Mako.

Shepard called the Normandy and had the bodies of the marines taken inside. She took as much data from the beacon as she could access and headed back to her cabin to send a report to Admiral Kahoku. "So it was some sort of setup?" Kahoku responded.

"It looks to be. I am having the doctor look over the bodies before we prep them for burial," Shepard replied.

"Thank you, Shepard. At least now I can give their families closure."

"I may have another lead sir. I found some data that mentioned the group. If I have time to investigate, I will."

"I appreciate it Commander," Kahoku said. "I will keep a look out myself."

Shepard vowed not the let the marines die in vain and spent several hours going over all the data they collected. She searched for connections and clues that could tie both Cerberus and Exo-Geni together. Her heard finally began to hurt from scouring the data, so she took a short nap before heading to the mess for dinner. 


	35. Waiting and Waiting

Shepard began wondering how long it would be until they got more intel from the Council. She was tempted to send them an angry message but knew practicing her patience would do her good. Avoiding Kaidan had been difficult and she'd resolved herself to staying in her cabin most of the day. She took her meals in her cabin but always seemed to run into each other, where they'd share an understanding smile. It seemed silly, but she knew it was the right thing to do at the moment.

She browsed over some more data and set a new course for the Matano System. Exo-geni had shipped more samples to a planet called Chasca, and Shepard was curious to see what else the group had their hands in. They found the colony on Chasca infested with Husks. Shepard wondered how Cerberus and Exo-geni could have gotten ahold of Geth technology, unless Saren had given it to them. They took one of the dragon's teeth devices on board for further study.

Tali took the initiative but she couldn't determine if they were Geth origin or not. To keep her thoughts off Kaidan, Shepard tried to spend more time with the crew downstairs. They had continued keeping to themselves and Shepard worried that tensions might rise and come to a head. Most of the alien crew well adjusted to their situation, however.

Garrus was still trying to court Tali, but often simply returned to his growing and not so well hidden collection of Fornax magazines. Tali was often fixing small devices or helping the crew recalibrate their omni-tools. She would occasionally come upstairs for a game of cards, which made Shepard happy. Wrex kept himself the most isolated, although she heard him exchanging war stories with Garrus once or twice.

He did, however, have growing collection of carved wooden figures. Shepard never saw him working on them, but new ones would be carefully arranged near his weapons locker from time to time. Shepard never felt it appropriate to broach the subject of art with him. She figured it was just something to keep his hands busy in between killing.

Shepard's relationship with Ashley was the most difficult to initiate. Shepard didn't know if it was because of their differing views on religion and xenobiology or because they were both strong headed and aggressive women. Shepard didn't try to force a conversation with her. She kept most of her girl talk to Dr. Chakwas. The doctor understood the delicate position Shepard was in as his superior and let her vent. Chakwas herself had once had an affair with the captain of the Appomattox and had sympathy for her.

The Council finally came through with more intel after more than a month had passed since the Normandy had gone to Noveria. They sent a brief in the middle of the day while the ship was cruising through the Horse Head Nebula on route to a errand Admiral Hackett had requested Shepard deal with. Shepard headed up to the comm room to speak to them in person. "It is about time," was the first thing she said to the Council when the uplink was loaded.

"We have had agents out scouring the Traverse for Saren, but he is illusive," the Asari Councillor said in a defensive tone.

"So did you find him?" Shepard asked.

"One of our infiltration teams was investigating in the Sentry Omega system and has cut off contact. We received an urgent message from them today," the Turian Councillor added.

"And?" Shepard wondered, throwing her hands up.

"We would like you to investigate," the Salarian Councillor replied.

"Does this even have anything to do with Saren?" Shepard asked in a huff.

"There was some Geth activity reported in the area, the team was sent to investigate," the Salarian Councillor added.

"So once again you don't really know what is going on or what is in store when I get there?"

"We are doing the best we can Commander," the Asari replied.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Shepard said, signing off. "This just keeps getting worse!" she added aloud, gritting her teeth.

She went to speak with Joker and changed their course to the coordinates given. She sat down and looked over the short brief the Council had sent. The infiltration team was Salarian but there was little information besides the location of their investigation. It was in a far arm of the galaxy and would take them more than a week to reach the system. "This is bullshit," she muttered as she looked over the brief, sick of the Council's lack of details. They had already been in too many close call situations for Shepard's comfort level.

She couldn't prepare the crew much and simply explained the few details. The crew seemed skeptical but she reminded them that there was little she could do. She fought a headache that lasted a few days and stewed in her cabin for the most part. They finally reached the Sentry Omega system and prepared to land on Virmire with no idea what was ahead of them. 


	36. Virmired

The Normandy finally arrived in the Hoc system after a long week of FTL travel and jumps through several mass relays in the Sentry Omega cluster. "No signals coming from the planet?" Shepard asked as they entered the atmosphere.

"I am getting no readings," Joker checked his signals. He suddenly, pulled the controls to the right, causing Shepard to stumble.

"What the hell are you doing Joker!" Shepard yelled.

"They've got us on the defense grid!" he replied, trying to quickly move out off the ground side radar.

"The fucking Council has dropped us right into a firing range," Shepard swore as Joker maneuvered the Normandy away from the huge defense towers.

"We'll make a quick drop in the Mako under radar," Shepard yelled, spinning around quickly. She ran down the the cargo bay, forging the slow elevator for the emergency ladder. Wrex and Garrus where already downstairs so she ordered them into the Mako. They dropped severely from the cargo bay and down onto the watery coastline below.

"That is as close as I can get you," Joker radioed "There is some sort of camp a few miles away. Let's hope it is the Salaraians," he added.

"Stay out of range of the defense towers, we will find a way to take them down," Shepard radioed.

The Mako was sluggish in the wet sand and water but plowed forward. Large crab-like creatures quickly scurried away from the lumbering tank. Shepard glanced out at the tropical landscape from the mass accelerator's scope. "The Council couldn't have picked a nicer place," she grumbled under her breath as they came across a unit of Geth.

They fought their way through a mix of rocket and assault drones and several troopers. They passed under a large pylon that bottlenecked the road. The Geth were fortified inside, but easily taken out by the Mako's machine gun. The AA guns trained on the Normandy sat atop another of the pylons down the shore. "There should be a control unit in the facility where we can shut down the individual guns," Garrus said.

Shepard and the crew climbed out of the Mako and went inside to investigate the controls. The Geth were guarding it carefully, but soon fell to the squad's concentrated fire. Garrus found the gun's generator and was able to disable it. "One down Commander," he replied. "Once we get the other gun down, the Normandy should be able to land."

They headed forward, encountering heavier Geth resistance as they continued. Armatures had been left along the winding coastline to keep heavy guard. "There is definitely something here Saren doesn't want us to find," Wrex remarked as he took aim at a giant Collossus blocking their path.

They proceeded on and found the second AA tower that was preventing the Normandy from landing. More Geth stood guard but they were easily killed. Garrus disabled the second generator just like the first one. "You are clear to land," Shepard radioed to Joker. "Set down near the camp and send Lt. Alenko to get a brief from the Salarian team."

The Mako forged on, finding the path clear to the camp. They found the Normandy docked near a small camp at the base of a large fortified wall. Shepard could see Kaidan and Ashley speaking with one of the Salarians who appeared to be in charge.

"What is going on here?" Shepard asked, as she stepped out of the Mako.

"You've got every security system on the base alerted to your presence," the Salarian speaking with Kaidan replied.

"What is this place?" Shepard asked. "What were you investigating?" Shepard asked.

"I am Captain Kirrahe. We were sent to investigate Geth activity, but instead we found Saren's base of operations," the Salarian replied. "We are going to wait here until the Council sends us the reinforcements we called for."

"Who do you think we are?" Shepard asked.

"I told the Council to send an entire fleet. I barely have an entire unit left," Kirrahe sighed.

"They sent me here to follow up. We didn't even know what to expect or else we would have gone in using our stealth capabilities," Shepard replied.

"Those damn bureaucrats," Kirrahe shook his head. "I am assuming you are the Commander Shepard I saw in our briefs on Saren?"

"I am," Shepard nodded. "What is Saren doing here?"

"This is a research base. He is breeding an army of Krogan."

"Breeding them?" Wrex interrupted.

"Yes, and we plan to destroy the base somehow," Kirrahe said. He didn't appear to be intimidated by Wrex's posture.

"First you unleash the Genophage on us, and now you are going to destroy a cure for it?" Wrex asked, taking a step towards him. "You damn Salarians are all alike!"

"What the hell is he doing breeding Krogan?" Shepard asked, stepping between the two of them.

"What does it matter Shepard, he wants to destroy them," Wrex growled.

"Take a walk Wrex, I will handle this," Shepard turned to him.

His eyes narrowed at her but he turned and walked away, muttering under his breath. The rest of the team looked concerned over the growing tension. "What is Saren doing with the Krogan? How did he find a cure?" Shepard asked Kirrahe.

"That I do not know. It appears he is breeding an army. We managed to infiltrate the base once, but with heavy losses. Over half my men were lost. I hope we will not have a problem. We have much greater things to worry about than an angry Krogan on your crew," Kirrahe replied, as Wrex began to fire his shotgun into the water.

"I'll talk to him," Shepard replied. "What is your plan?"

"I'll need some time to go over a few details with my men. It will be getting dark soon. I will have something in the morning," he replied, walking away.

"Great," Shepard scoffed and turned to her crew. They had turned and were looking in the direction Wrex had stormed off to.

"You'd better go talk to Wrex," Ashley replied, looking concerned.

"Yeah, right," Shepard said, walking in his direction.

"Be careful," Kaidan called after her.

She slowly approached Wrex, who had begun firing into the pile of rocks, sending heat embers shooting in all directions. She could hear him lowly growling in displeasure. "I know why you are pissed off Wrex, but the Salarians are right," Shepard said cautiously.

"How are they right? Saren has found a cure for my people and you want to destroy it," Wrex turned and growled at her.

"Saren is using them. Just like he was trying to use the Rachni. This isn't a cure, it is a weapon," Shepard replied, slowing stepping backwards.

"A weapon? That is the best you've got Shepard?" Wrex scoffed. "There has to be more justification for this than that." He lumbered towards her, gripping his shotgun tightly.

"What other justification do you want? You think Saren is just going to cure you and let you all walk away? He is going to use you as cannon fodder, just like the fucking Council used you during the Rachni Wars!" She raised her voice angrily. "Remember what he did to those mercs you were with? He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

He towered over her, his fingers lingering on the trigger of his gun. Shepard's hand was poised to pull her pistol off her hip if need be. Wrex let out a loud huff and let his shotgun fall to his side. "I refuse to let my people be pawns again," his eyes relaxed.

"If we take down this base, I want all the data we can find about the Krogan cure," he added.

"It is a deal," she nodded, sticking out a hand of friendship.

He gripped it tightly, laughing as she winced slightly, and walked back towards the Normandy. Shepard returned to where the rest of the squad had been watching their exchange. "I thought things were going to get bad there for a second,"Ashley remarked.

"This is important to him, to his entire race. I'd be pissed too," Shepard said, sitting down on a large rock with a sigh.

The sun was just beginning to set on the lush planet. The Salarians had been surviving on little food so the Normandy shared what food the Salarians could eat. This caused a lightened mood around the small camp and the Salarians even began a quiet song. They huddled inside their tents, keeping the light low in case of a surprise attack by the Geth.

The Normandy crew headed back to the ship to sleep but Shepard and Kaidan lingered. They watched the last remains of red light on the horizon fade. Shepard felt slightly worried about the day to come, so much so that Kaidan picked up on it. "Are you alright?" he asked as they slowly waded back towards the ship in the darkness.

"This just doesn't feel right. I don't have a good feeling about tomorrow," she replied.

"We'll get things done. I know we will," he replied hopefully.

"Fuck Alenko, I wish I had your optimism all the time," she stopped. She tried to read his face in the darkness but she could barely see him.

"Maybe this sounds cliché but I believe in you Shepard. You've gotten us out of worse situations," he replied. She felt his hand reaching out for hers in the darkness. He mistakenly grazed her crotch, but she only grinned and grabbed ahold of his wandering hand.

"So you're saying I should have a little faith in myself," she replied, squeezing his hand.

"Everyone else does," he laughed.

She stepped a little closer to him and let her hand drift up his arm. "How fucking long can we keep this up?" she asked, letting her head bow slightly against his chest.

"As long as it takes, right?" he replied, his other hand lightly touching her hip.

"Sure," she frowned. She didn't think anything could be more futile than waiting for him. They stood for a quiet moment in their parted embrace. "Well, I think I am getting water in my suit," she finally added, trudging ahead of him.

He followed her inside and she slunk back to her cabin. She would strangle Saren with her bare hands if it meant she could have Kaidan tonight. She was tired of pretending and having to avoid him. She couldn't take her mind off of him and felt every muscle in her body poised for an excitement that would never come. She went straight to bed, taking two sedatives to ensure a long night of rest and to quickly wash all her thoughts of Kaidan from her head.

When she woke up in the morning, the Salarians were already preparing with their plan of attack. Shepard changed quickly and headed across the water in the glowing morning air. The Captain explained his plan but Shepard wasn't confident in it. It sounded like a suicide mission, but the captain was persistent.

Shepard would take a small squad in the back of the complex and clear a path for the Normandy to deliver a large explosive device to be placed at the heart of the facility. The Salarians would act as a distraction team, allowing Shepard and her team to infiltrate the base. "Not to be insulting, but this sounds like shit," Shepard replied.

"It is the only way we can ensure that the facility is destroyed. I do not expect many of us to return," Kirrahe responded. "And it pains me to ask, but I'll need one of your crew with my teams," he added.

"What for?" Shepard asked.

"I only have two squad leaders and I am separating my men into three units. I need one of your people to lead the third," he replied.

"I volunteer," Kaidan said, standing behind Shepard. She looked back at him with worry, knowing there was little chance of survival.

"You will need to set up the bomb, I will go," Ashley interrupted.

"Who do you need?" Shepard asked, not wanting to make the decision.

"Either one of your crew will work," Kirrahe added.

Shepard paused for a moment, hesitating to make a decision because of her feelings for Kaidan. Ashley's argument was sound, but Shepard knew she'd likely be trading the man she cared for, for Ashley's life. "Kaidan, I want you to stay with the bomb. That thing has to go off, no matter what. We can't let Saren bred an army," Shepard finally ordered.

"Aye-aye, ma'am," Kaidan replied.

"Williams, this is your show now," Shepard nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am. I won't let you down," Ashley smiled.

The Salarians loaded the bomb into the Normandy's cargo bay and Kaidan began rigging the proper control boards to it. Ashley was introduced to the squad she would be leading. Shepard saw Wrex standing on the edge of the camp. She approached him cautiously. "You okay?" she asked him.

"Let's get this over with," he snarled.

"You know you are doing the right thing," Shepard replied.

"Yeah, right," Wrex turned away.  
> <p>


	37. Resistance

The team's prepared and said their goodbyes. It felt awkward knowing they might never see each other again. Shepard shook Ashley's hand and wished her good luck. She felt a pang of guilt knowing Kaidan would be safe on the Normandy but tried to convince herself she made the right decision.

The captain rallied his Salarian troops and the three teams split up and headed inside the base. Shepard took Garrus and Wrex along with her again, seeing the Normandy off. They slowly made their way past the large wall at the edge of the base's outer buildings and headed towards the zone Kirrahe had marked on their map. The Geth were positioned carefully around them and they tried to slip past them for the most part.

It wasn't long before the Salarian teams were engaging the Geth as well, attempting to draw the majority from the back of the facility. Shepard and her team trudged on through the wet sand of the inland tide pools. Wrex even took the time to snatch a small crustacean for a snack. The Salarian's had done a fine job of drawing fire away and they soon came to the first small building in the facility.

Garrus looked over the console at the entrance. "This is a triangulation tower," Garrus said, accessing the console. "I can change to coordinates. It should confuse the Geth, maybe help the Salarian teams out."

"Do it," Shepard replied, checking their path for Geth with her sniper scope.

They continued on, finding a large outpost overrun with Geth that had not followed the Salarian teams. There was little cover in between so Garrus and Shepard took out all the Geth with their sniper rifles, while Wrex distracted others with his shotgun. Shepard spied another uplink console on a roof and shot it down.

They neared the main facility, as the number of Geth resistance increased. Shepard checked in on the Salarian teams, which had already taken heavy casualties. "Let's pick up the pace," Shepard said, hurrying her steps. They stumbled on a large group of Geth flyers refueling near the edge of the facility. "The fuel tanks!" Shepard yelled, taking aim at the large flammable tanks. It only took a few shots to rupture the tanks.

"Take cover!" Wrex yelled, as the explosion rippled across the platform.

The blast knocked them all down, but took care of all the flyers in one shot. Wrex helped Shepard up with a strong pull. "There is the main base," Shepard said, seeing the back of the target building. She looked through her scope and could see numerous enemies guarding the doors. There was no cover in between and she couldn't get a clean shot from their current position.

They walked around the outer edge and Shepard found a small cave where she could get proper cover and take out most of the hostiles. She sent Wrex and Garrus ahead to draw the enemy out of their positions. She waited for the sound of gunfire to began firing before they could reach Garrus and Wrex.

Shepard found Wrex standing over one of the dead Krogan. "Is he a clone?" she asked. "Or just another merc?"

"He doesn't even have a proper hump," Wrex remarked, kicking the body with his foot. "This is a disgrace. Saren has to pay for this," he added.

"He will," Shepard said, looking at the dead Krogan.

"Shepard, there is a back entrance, down here," Garrus motioned. "It looks like the sewer or water system. We might be able to avoid some trouble."

They entered cautiously through the steam tunnels under the facility. A large group of Salarians were waiting for them. Shepard at first thought they were friendly, but the Salarians ran at them immediately. "These must be Kirrahe's men. Saren didn't kill them, but they sure aren't acting normal," Garrus said.

"He must have done something to them," Shepard shook her head.

They walked passed a small detention area where several Salarians were being held. None of them seemed on the level, so Shepard left them. As they went to leave, one of the Salarians that was lucid tried to talk to them. "I've just been shot at," Shepard remarked. "I am not letting you out."

"Please, I have to get out," the Salarian repeated over and over again. He began banging his head violently against the glass.

"What the hell has Saren done?" Shepard wondered as the Salarian slumped to the ground. They continued though the base, finding yet another detention area full of Salarians.

"You're not with Saren, you must be here with Kirrahe," one of the Salarians called.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked.

"Lt. Imness. I was captured along with many of my men. As you can see, most of us have not survived the indoctrination," the Salarian said.

"The indoctrination did this?" Shepard asked.

"Saren has used it on his own people as well. He doesn't quite understand it either, but you can see what it does. It turns organic species into mindless husks. They do whatever simple commands are given to them," Imness replied.

"We are putting an end to all of this," Shepard said. "Are you alright to get out? We are blowing this whole facility sky high."

"My odds are better than being in here," he nodded as she opened the door.

"What should we do about these other ones?" Shepard asked.

"I am afraid they cannot be saved," Imness replied.

"Let's let them out. They don't look violent. Better that they enjoy a few moments of freedom than die in that cell."

"Agreed."

Shepard opened the door but the remaining Salarians only stood blankly ahead. Shepard and her team moved forward, seeing Lt. Imness off. They took an elevator down to the main lab, finding a Krogan doctor inside. He was experimenting on several Husks when they interrupted him. Wrex looked over some of the data after the doctor had been dealt with but couldn't make any discernment from it. He copied the data regardless and they continued on.

As they headed into another room, the found an Asari scientist cowering under a desk. "Please, don't shoot! I just want to get out of here," the Asari said, raising her hands.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Shepard asked, keeping her gun pointed at the Asari.

"My name is Rana . I was contracted to work here for Saren. I was studying the Indoctrination," she replied.

"What can you tell me?" Shepard asked.

"You've seen those Salarians. It makes them crazed. They do whatever they are told. Even Saren doesn't know quite how it affects people. He is paranoid about what could happen to him," Rana replied.

"If it hasn't already happened already," Shepard remarked. "Give me all the data you have and then get the hell out of here. We are blowing this place up."

Rana quickly handed her a stack of OSD's and ran out the door. "If there is anything in here about the genophage, I will hand them over," Shepard said to Wrex. He nodded in approval.

They made their way through the base and into a large bunker that held a beacon similar to the one on Eden Prime. "This is just like the beacon I encountered," Shepard said, hesitating to get close to it. "This place doesn't look Prothean."

"What does it do?" Wrex asked.

"This is what gave me the vision. But last time I used it, it blew up. It might be dangerous," Shepard replied.

"We just plowed through an entire patrol of Geth and Krogan," Garrus laughed slightly.

Shepard approached the beacon slowly and began to feel the same pull on her body and probing of her mind. She saw the horrible vision again, more clear but still without making any more sense.  
>She tried to steady herself when it was over, kneeling over to keep her head from spinning.<p>

"What did you see?" Garrus asked, helping her to her feet.

"Nothing else useful, it is still confused," she replied, holding her head.

"Will you be alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I will be fine," she replied. "Let's get moving."

As they neared the door, they triggered something in the room and a holographic image appeared above the beacon. "What the fuck is this?" Shepard wondered.

"You are not Saren," the cruel-sounding voice boomed.

"No shit," Shepard smirked. "How do I shut this thing off." She looked around for some sort of control.

"We cannot be shut off. We are the heralds of your destruction. Your feeble mind cannot comprehend the greatness of what is to become. I am Sovereign," the hologram echoed.

"The ship? You're a talking ship?" Shepard asked. "A Reaper?"

"Reaper, a name given by those who fell before you. They were not the first, nor will they be the last."

"You think you can wipe out an entire galaxy of species like you did the Protheans? We are billions strong."

"We are more numerous than you can imagine. Our might can darken hundreds of suns."

"I'm going to stop you. And if I can't, there will be an entire galaxy that will be coming after you."

"Your words carrying only ignorance. Your future is inevitable. This parley is over."

The windows burst as a loud sound shattered everything in sight. Shepard ducked and covered her ears from the horrible sound. Garrus peeked out carefully to check on Shepard. "What do we do know?" Garrus said quietly. "Saren isn't just bringing back the Reapers, he is working for them."

"We are blowing this place to hell," Shepard said, pulling a shard of glass out of the side of her leg. It hadn't penetrated her armor, but the force had driven it well into the plating.

"Um, Shepard, we have a big problem. And I mean big," Joker radioed.

"What now?" Shepard wondered.

"We were monitoring Saren's ship and it just pulled a turn like you wouldn't believe. It is headed your way," he replied.

"Great," Shepard frowned and reloaded her gun. "We need to move," she yelled, opening the door and finding some of Saren's newly cloned Krogans coming towards them.

They took them down and eventually found their way down to the breeding facility and the heart of the base. A single AA gun stood in the way of the landing zone where the bomb needed to be placed. They only needed to shut down the gun and clear a path for the ship.


	38. Indecisions

Shepard and her team entered the AA tower and quickly found the generator to disable the gun that was preventing the Normandy from landing at the bomb site. Garrus was able to disable it with ease and Shepard radioed Joker that he was clear to land. They passed through a large room full of breeding tanks on their way to the bomb site.

"He could have bred millions this way," Wrex said, looking at the tanks. "I am going to kill him with my bare hands," he added.

They waited for the Normandy to land at the spot Kirrahe had designated. Kaidan and another marine carefully brought the nuke out of the cargo bay. "We are ready to go with the bomb, where are the rest of the teams?" Shepard radioed.

"Jaeto is gone," Ashley called under heavy static. "My team is pinned down on the other AA tower. We can't get through."

"We will flank them," Shepard said. "Hang tight."

"No, commander, just set off the nuke," Ashley called.

"We are coming to get you, Alenko stay here and keep this nuke safe," Shepard said to Kaidan.

She headed with Wrex and Garrus towards the other AA tower. As they left the elevator, a Geth drop ship passed over their heads, flying straight for the bomb site. "Alenko, there are Geth heading your way!" Shepard radioed.

"They are already here," he radioed back. "I don't think we can hold them off. I am going to set the timer, make sure this thing goes off."

"Kaidan!" Shepard yelled as the radio cut out, her stomach immediately dropping.

"Go get Alenko, we can hold them off," Ashley yelled, as the radio continued to struggle as the Geth began jamming their signals.

"I can't just leave you here," Shepard called.

"Don't worry about us," Ashley replied.

"What are your orders?" Garrus asked. "We could split up?"

Shepard knew there wouldn't be enough time to pick them both up. If she sent Wrex or Garrus, she would probably be sending them to their deaths as well. Her mind was dizzy. She couldn't think straight. She could get back to Kaidan faster, but with the bomb already set, he had done his job. In an instant, her mind returned to the previous night as she and Kaidan stood together for a moment. She'd never wanted anything more in her life.

"Fucking Kirrahe!" Shepard yelled, heading back towards the elevator that led to the bomb site. "Hold you position on the tower. We will pick you up once we evacuate the bomb site. Joker, pick us up there. And take down that fucking dropship. The Normandy has guns for a reason," Shepard radioed.

She could only hope to get to Ashley in time. She pushed the elevator button violently, needing to get back to Kaidan as soon as possible. They ran back through the tank room and found Geth pouring down from the drop ship. Kaidan knelt near the bomb, trying to deflect fire away from it. He had a small wound on his side that was bleeding heavily.

"Lieutenant, you've been shot," Shepard said, kneeling next to him.

"I am fine," he yelled, firing his pistol.

The Geth were persistent, sending some of their larger forces down upon them. Shepard and Kaidan tried their best to keep the gunfire away from the bomb. She tried picking the Geth off with her rifle as they dropped down. She caught a glimpse of a larger enemy coming towards them and saw Saren's face in her scope. She trained her fire on him as he descended towards them on a kinetic platform.

"This is pointless Shepard. Blowing this place up and killing yourself will accomplish nothing," Saren called, as Shepard's rounds hit his shields.

"And you think working for the Reapers will?" Shepard yelled, ducking behind a crate with Kaidan.

"I am working with the Reapers. If I help them find the Conduit, I will be rewarded. I will have a negotiating power," he replied.

"You can't be serious? You are just a pawn," she added.

"No, I have been safe from indoctrination. The Reapers need me."

"You are already indoctrinated. They are using you and once they get what the want, they will do the same thing they did to the Protheans."

"The Protheans were weak. If I prove I am useful to the Reapers, they will protect me. I can work out a deal for you too Shepard."

"I'll won't be a slave," Shepard replied, moving from cover and firing at him.

"Have it your way," he yelled, flying above her with his shotgun trained on her.

She took cover as he fired upon them. She took a few hard hits to her shields but managed to overload Saren's weapon as he passed over her. The tech blast also disabled his platform and sent him tumbling to the ground. He rushed towards Shepard who had been knocked to the ground by the blast. He picked her up by the throat, leaving her dangling in the air. His three fingers gripped at her throat tightly, cutting off her air supply.

"You promised when you met me in person you would kill me, look at you now," Saren scoffed.

He squeezed Shepard's neck tighter and smiled as her eyes began to close.

"Shepard!" Kaidan yelled, firing a shot at Saren. Shepard kicked Saren in the stomach, sending him tumbling backwards. He fell towards his platform, which had regained power. He climbed on, giving Shepard one last glare before disappearing into the clouds above.

Shepard pulled herself up, her throat aching. Kaidan lie next to the bomb, still clutching his side. "How bad it is?" she croaked, moving his hand away to look at the wound.

"I'll live," he winced. "The medi-gel is doing its job."

She could hear the Normandy landing at the far side of the site and helped him up. "Let's go!" Shepard yelled, seeing three minutes left on the detonation timer. Kaidan limped forward slowly on his own. "Come on Alenko," Shepard said, grabbing ahold of Kaidan and leveraging his weight onto her shoulders.

His large frame was heavy but she managed to carry him across the complex and into the cargo bay. As another marine helped set him down, she could see bloody water pouring out of his suit. She held her hand firmly on the wound as they took off. "Can we reach the other tower in time?" Shepard radioed with the other hand.

"If anyone is alive, they will have to jump on the ramp," Joker radioed.

"Help load anyone else on, we've got one minute," Shepard yelled at the nearby marines. She looked down at Kaidan, who stared up a her.

She could hear others climbing onto the cargo ramp but didn't take her eyes from Kaidan's. She'd just chosen his life over someone else's, something she'd never had to do before. She knew why she'd done it, but she didn't want to admit it to herself.

"Hang on," Joker called from the bridge.

The ship bowed as they left the planet's atmosphere. Shepard could feel the shockwave from the bomb hit the Normandy's hull. When their flight stabilized, she helped Kaidan up to the medical bay where a few of the remaining Salarians were being treated. Shepard saw no sign of Ashley among them.

She headed back to her cabin, her head still spinning. She couldn't believe she had left one of her crew to die because of a personal choice. She felt sick to her stomach and retched over the toilet a few times. She sent a heavily worded report to the Council and called a meeting a few hours later.

As the crew assembled in the comm room, there was an eery silence. Kaidan had made his way up after being patch up. "You should have gone after Williams. The nuke would've gone off regardless," Kaidan said aloud. "You should have left me down there."

"The Geth could have deactivated the bomb. I had to make sure it went off," Shepard looked at him. He turned his eyes away from hers on sunk into his chair.

"I'm not questioning your judgment ma'am, but," he started before lowering his head again. The rest of the crew looked at them in silent confusion, shocked that he had spoken so informally with a superior.

"Commander? I was told you found another beacon. Did it contain the missing information?" Liara asked.

"I don't know," Shepard said, shaking her head. "But I don't need my mind probed right now," she snapped.

"We lost a lot of good people today but we destroyed Saren's base of operations. Our next step is to find the Mu Relay," Shepard went on. The crew made no comments, but looked to her for something more. She stood up with a sigh and approached the FTL comm and said "Everyone get the hell out of here. You are dismissed."

The crew left quickly and without much sound, leaving her alone as she contacted the council. "There's more of your damn evidence, now can I get some fucking backup here?" she said angrily as soon as she signed on.

"We are giving you as much help as we can," the Asari Councillor tried to say gently.

"That is bullshit," Shepard screamed. "You are giving me scraps and expecting me to make a fucking miracle."

"You have crippled Saren's operation and have him on the run, isn't that good enough?" the Turian Councillor asked.

"No. Saren is still working for the Reapers, so we are as good as dead if we can't stop them."  
>"Yes, we saw them in the report again," the Salarian Councillor added. "We don't believe they are a credible threat. Saren is trying to manipulate you."<p>

"I've spoken with one and believe me, they are a threat. The biggest fucking threat to this galaxy," Shepard replied.

"You need to let this go, Shepard. We need you to focus on Saren. That is what we inducted you for, not to run after some made up enemy," the Turian reprimanded her.

"You need to shut the hell up for once and listen. If Saren finds the Conduit, the entire galaxy is doomed," she said, slamming her hand down on the comm link. She kicked a nearby chair and left the room.

Kaidan was waiting to talk to her downstairs. "Another time," she dismissed him, disappearing into her cabin. She felt horrible about the decision she had made and didn't want to face him right now. He ignored her and followed her inside the cabin.

"Shepard, I am here to say I overreacted. Or felt guilty. I don't even know. I shouldn't have brought it up in the meeting, " he blurted out as soon as he entered. She spun around and looked at him on the verge of tears.

"I just made one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, and yes I think I did it because of how I feel about you. I don't even know what I am doing anymore. But I needed you to be here," her voice ÷broke.

She desperately tried holding back her tears. "I saved you because I could get to you quicker. But I know that isn't the only reason, and I feel like shit over it," she said before he embraced her. She buried her face in his chest, hot tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.

"Shepard, I care about you. I'd hate think I'd make a decision because of that, but I know I already have," he said softly, cradling her head in his hands. "We've had some close calls. We've both saved each others' lives a dozen time. I already know that my feelings for you have gotten in the way of my work. I just hate that it has."

"What are we going to do?" she asked, squeezing him tighter.

"I don't know," he shook his head.

She looked up into his deep brown eyes. They were glossy with sadness and stared back at her. "We'll make this all worth it. Her death won't be in vain," Shepard said, wiping a tear from her face.

"I know," he smiled slightly, looking down at her. They stared at each other in silence, neither of them ready to make the first move. Before they could say another word, they were startled by Joker calling on Shepard's omni-tool.

"What is it?" she asked as Kaidan looked away bashfully.

"Liara would like you to come see her when you aren't busy, " Joker said.

"How do you know I am busy?" Shepard accused as Kaidan waved goodbye and slipped out of the cabin without another word.

"What? " Joker replied.

"Just take us back to the Citadel. The Council needs a boot in their ass," Shepard replied. 


	39. Finally Ahead

Shepard took a moment to collect her thoughts away from Kaidan and headed out of her cabin to see what Liara wanted. She found Liara studying a data pad and taking notes on another one. "What is it?" Shepard asked, slightly annoyed at being interrupted with Kaidan.

"I was looking over the intel you retrieved from Saren's lab. It looks like the beacon you found was the first one Saren came across. I believe Sovereign may have found it and led Saren to it. I think he is truly being manipulated by the ship. I almost feel sorry for him. "

"I will feel sorry for him when he has a hole in his head. I doubt he's been all there for quite some time," Shepard replied.

"I think this beacon may be the missing piece. Saren was looking at a lot of Prothean data. It still seems he could not interpret the vision fully, though he may have had all the pieces. "

"So you want to meld consciousness again?" Shepard asked.

"I know it worsened your nightmares but I think it is the only way," Liara said hesitantly.

Shepard closed her eyes and felt the Prothean vision resurface. She saw things clearer, but still didn't know what to make of it. She opened her eyes again and saw Liara deep in thought. "That's it!" Liara exclaimed. "The images, someone familiar with the Protheans would recognize it."

"What?" Shepard asked.

"It is Ilos. That must be where the Conduit is at," Liara said.

"That was the missing part?" Shepard wondered.

"It was there but it wasn't. I've seen things in my research that I know are on Ilos."

"Where is it?"

"That is why Saren needed to location to the Mu relay. Ilos is in the Pangaea expanse. Only the Mu relay can get you there."

"Good, we'll tell the Council this. They won't like us going into the Terminus Systems to do it but I could give two shits to what they think." Shepard got up to leave. "Thank you Liara," Shepard smiled.

"I did nothing. You were the one strong enough to keep control of your mind. I have merely studied too much," Liara said modestly.

Shepard returned to her cabin. Her body was so tired but she finally had the edge on Saren so her mind was racing. She took a long shower, finding a large bruise beginning to form around her neck. She could see three distinct fingers in the bruise pattern. "Son of a bitch," Sheapard rubbed her neck.

She tried to lay down but to no avail. She began rehearsing her speech to the Council about how she would be waiting for Saren when he finally found the Conduit. She started wondering what exactly the Conduit was and how it would aid the Reapers. She couldn't seem to keep her thoughts straight. She was thinking about the Reapers, Saren, Kaidan, and Ashley.

She finally took a sedative and managed to get a little sleep. Even though Liara had opened up her visions again, her nightmares were less severe. There was a less painful completeness to them. Shepard was eager to get back to the Citadel and couldn't stay in bed for long.  
> <p>


	40. Hot Mess

The Normandy arrived back at the Citadel in a few days. Shepard was eager to talk to the Council in person. She doubted they would be happy with how their last conversation ended, but she was growing tired of them. She went straight to Ambassador Udina's office, only to find out the Council would deliberate for a few days before deciding what to do with Saren. Shepard had about all she could stand of the Council. Saren would now be a week ahead of her. She expressed her displeasure to the Ambassador but he didn't seem to care.

The week dragged on with little news and Shepard couldn't sit still. She was stuck on the Citadel until the Council made up their mind. She saw to the memorial arrangements for Ashley, dragged down her mood. She couldn't even return a body to William's family. She sent a personal letter to Ashley's mother and her sisters. She even paid the extra money to have Ashley's empty coffin engraved with the Tennyson poem she had once recited. She knew it would never assuage her guilt, but she wanted to do something besides just sending her home. Shepard pulled away from Kaidan for the week, feeling guilty that she had chosen to save him.

The Council finally made a decision and Shepard eagerly awaited their afternoon meeting. She entered in the middle of it, the Ambassador starting without her once again. "I am glad you could join us," the Ambassador said. "Thanks to you, the Council has set up an armada protecting every relay that leads to the Citadel. Saren won't be able to attack."

"You think Saren is that stupid to try to attack the Citadel on his own?" Shepard asked.

"Shepard, you really need to remember your place," the Turian Councillor chastised her.

"I told you the Reapers were the real threat and when Saren finds the Conduit on Ilos, I will be there to stop him while you all sit with your hands up your asses," she called.

"Ambassador, Commander Shepard doesn't seem to want to let this Reaper business go," the Turian said. "Perhaps we were wrong about our decision to make you a Spectre."

"Shepard, you have done your job. It is up to the Council and myself to handle the rest," Udina said.

"I am going to Ilos whether you like it or not," Shepard spat back.

"The Ambassador has already locked the Normandy's systems. We will not allow you to start a war by entering the Terminus Systems," the Asari Councillor replied.

"You son of a bitch," Shepard said, lunging towards Udina. Kaidan held her back as she struggled to get a punch in.

"He is not worth it Commander," he said, gripping her shoulders tightly. She eased up and began walking away before lunging at him again.

"Watch your back!" she yelled, as Kaidan held her again, more firmly.

"Get her out of here," Udina said, motioning towards the C-Sec guards.

Shepard stormed off with the rest of her squad in tow. She walked briskly through the Citadel towards the Normandy. Conrad Verner was waiting for her outside of C-Sec. "Shepard!" he called as she tried to dismiss him.

"I've been waiting to talk to you. I had the best idea and I wanted to get your thoughts," he said briskly before she was able to interrupt him. She was seething inside and didn't have time for obsessed fans.

"I know you are busy out trying to stop Saren, but we still need people on the front lines, protecting the colonies from the Geth. So I thought maybe we could use another human Spectre. You could swear me in. We'd be working to stop the Geth in our own ways."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me?" she replied.

"We'd be unstoppable!" he gushed.

"No," Shepard replied. She was trying to cool her anger down, but he wasn't helping much. "I think you need to go home. Do whatever it is you do and leave the rest to me. "

"But you can't do it all by yourself. I want to be there fighting the good fight. Roughing up bad guys."

"I don't rough up bad guys. I kill them before they kill me. It isn't a game."

She went to leave but he grabbed her arm. "Please Shepard, think about it."

"You think this feels like an adventure?" she yelled pulling out her gun and sticking it in his face. "This is how my life is everyday. I am one heat round from worm food. It isn't fun," she pushed him away.

She stormed off without another word. She rode the elevator in anger, ready to shoot the news announcement speaker after hearing her name mentioned. She boarded the Normandy, which was being guarded by several C-Sec officers. She went down to her locker to grab some things to take to her apartment. The locker jammed and she slammed her fist against the metal. "Fuck!" she yelled, slumping onto the floor, shaking her throbbing fist. She heard someone approach but didn't care to look up.

"Shepard," Kaidan said softly.

She glanced up at him, her angry look softening only slightly. "Thanks for holding me back," she said in a dour tone. "I'd be in the brig for murder."

"What are we going to do now?" he asked, looking down at her.

"I don't know. I don't have a smart answer for this one Lieutenant."

"I know you'll think of something," he smiled. "I lo- respect that about you. "

"Do you always have to be so supportive? Can't you ever just say 'fuck it Shepard, let's go get shit faced and fuck our brains out'? You can respect me by dropping down and giving me twenty naked."

He blushed and smiled at her. "How about we start with dinner?" he said, reaching a hand out towards her. She took it and he pulled her up too briskly, causing her to fall forward onto him. Her hands gripped him tightly.

"Very smooth," she smiled. His eyes melted her anger as he looked at her without restraint. She saw him lean in and closed her eyes, waiting for the first taste of his lips. They were again startled by Joker's voice, booming over the comm.

"Commander, Capatain Anderson just sent a message over. He needs to talk to you. He said he'd meet you at a bar called Flux," Joker said.

Shepard opened her eyes, seeing Kaidan's eyes downcast. He was shaking his head in frustration. She pressed her forehead against his and squeezed his body up against hers. He sighed loudly and smiled. "Nothing like a cold shower," he grinned.

"I'm going to kill him," Shepard said under her breath, gripping his body tighter.

"You should see what the captain wants. Maybe he has some ideas," he added.

She pulled away from him and looked him deeply in the eyes. "Come on," she grinned, pulling him by the arm of his shirt.

They left the Normandy and headed down to Flux together. It was late enough that the place was busy, but there was no sign of Anderson yet. Shepard stood at the bar and ordered a shot.  
>"The Captain should be here soon," Kaidan said. He left Shepard at the bar and continued looking around for the captain.<p>

In the meantime, Shepard had begun downing shots, motioning for Doran to 'keep 'em coming.'  
>They tasted sweet and every one swallowed, lessened the angry pit in her stomach. By the time Kaidan returned, he found Shepard eight shots deep and standing with her eyes half-closed. She had a warm glow to her face and a slight grin.<p>

"Are you okay?" Kaidan asked, as he saw her teeter slightly.

"Fine," she slurred, opening her eyes. She grabbed another shot from Doran.

"How many did you have?" Kaidan asked, seeing the empty shot glasses behind her. She held up her hands but the number of fingers differed from moment to moment. "Maybe you should sit down," he added as she swayed forward.

Shepard went to sit down on the nearby bar stool but instead missed completely and went tumbling loudly to the ground, laughing loudly. The near portion of the bar quieted, their attention focused on the stumbling drunk officer. Kaidan's face reddened from embarrassment but helped her up, seeing Anderson entering. "Come on Shepard, Anderson is here. Let's go find a table," he said, pulling her up.

He dragged her to an empty table in the corner and motioned Anderson over. "Shepard, you look like hell," Anderson said, sitting down. She had her eyes closed again, with a happy grin on her face.

"She is,uh, upset about the Council," Kaidan spoke for her.

"Fuck the Council," Shepard murmured.

"What happened in there, Captain? How could Udina just railroad us like that?" Kaidan asked.

"I tried to get a message to Shepard but he warned me not to contact you. It is almost like the little weasel was planning this from the beginning," Anderson replied.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Kaidan wondered.

"You need to get to Ilos and stop Saren."

"But we don't have a ship."

"If I could get into Citadel Control, I could override the lock on the Normandy long enough for you to get away."

"You won't be able to just walk in there. It is too dangerous. And we are talking about stealing an Alliance vessel."

"Fuck Udina!" Shepard yelled suddenly, totally off topic.

"Shepard," Kaidan said, putting a hidden hand on her thigh, trying to calm her.

"Maybe Shepard is right. Udina started this, if he authorized the block on his computer, I could hack in and change the order," Anderson said.

"How will you get into his office?" Kaidan wondered.

"I'll do it!" Shepard said, joining the conversation. "I am a Council Sceptre," she giggled, holding her arm up like she was holding one a sceptre.

"Leave that up to me," Anderson replied. "Get Shepard back to the Normandy and tell Joker to be ready to leave as soon as he regains control of the ship."

"Be careful, sir," Kaidan said.

"Good luck Lieutenant. And tell Shepard the same when she comes to," Anderson said, standing up. He shook Kaidan's hand and almost chuckled at Shepard, now slumped in her chair.

"Shepard, it is time to go," Kaidan said, trying to rouse her. She only grumbled, so he pulled her out of her chair and dragged her towards the door.

As they walked down the stairs, they passed Alain, who nearly recognized Shepard. "Excuse me, is her name Ashley?" Alain asked Kaidan.

"No," Kaidan said, having to pull Shepard down the stairs. She had refused to open her eyes, complaining that she was tired.

He finally got her to the elevator in the docking bay without incident. She swayed in the elevator and pressed her face against the warm glass of the door. "Sleepy time," she said, quietly.

"No, Shepard, you can't sleep here. We need to get you back to your cabin," Kaidan replied. He felt like he was tending a small child.

Kaidan held Shepard by the waist as he helped her into the Normandy. She leaned to one side as they walked through the airlock, pushing Kaidan towards the wall. She groped at his body, pressing him against her. "Now that we are alone, I wanted to do this," Shepard said drunkenly, pressing her lips against his. Her tongue sloppily played around his lips.

"Shepard," he said, glancing nervously over to where Joker was sitting behind them. She began pawing at his body, grabbing his crotch and backside. "Not now, Joker will here us," he whispered, motioning his head towards Joker.

"Jeff, you bunk blocking bastard!" Shepard called out, stumbling past Kaidan. "You gotta get us outta here when the captain gives the signal," she added, grabbing onto his arm.

"Shit Shepard, you smell like my friend's bachelor party," he said, leaning forward in his chair to get away from her.

"You don't have any friends," she slurred, falling backwards slightly. Luckily, Kaidan was right behind her and stopped her from falling. "You sit here all day watching porn on your omni-tool. Don't act like I don't know," she continued.

"Captain Anderson is going to try to unlock the controls for the Normandy. We are taking the ship. I can do it if you don't want to be involved," Kaidan said.

"No, I am with you guys," Joker replied. "I will be ready to pull out when the Anderson unlocks us."

Shepard burst into laugher. "Pull out," she giggled, poking Joker on the back.

"I am going to get the Commander back to her cabin so she can, um sober up," Kaidan said, pulling her away. "Be ready," he said to Joker.

"Have fun," Joker laughed as Kaidan dragged Shepard away.

As Kaidan escorted Shepard down to her cabin, she began kissing his neck as they went down the stairs. Kaidan tried fighting her off as gently as he could. "You get really, uh, excited when you drink," he said, finally getting her into her cabin.

"I am horny all the time," she said sleepily. "I've wanted to fuck you from the first time I laid eyes on you."

She began pulling at her clothes, but had lost all sense of coordination. "You don't ever drink this much do you?" he asked, ushering her towards the bed.

"No. I usually supplement my stress with sex," she said, falling onto the bed face first. "But since I met you, I don't want anyone else. I think about you all the time," she mumbled, her face buried in her pillow. He felt slightly embarrassed hearing her intimate confession. He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair gently. Her eyes closed slowly as she passed out. Kaidan pulled off her boots and wrapped the covers around her before returning to his bunk to fetch his data pad.

Shepard woke up much later, her head pounding. She looked up and saw Kaidan at her desk, watching a vid on his data pad. "How long have I been out?" she asked, clutching her head.

"A while," he smiled, turning off his vid. "I wanted to make sure you didn't get sick," he added, standing up. She could see a small can next to the bed and a bottle of water near the table.

"Did we talk to Anderson? I don't remember a thing," she said, sitting up.

"Yeah, we are on our way to the Mu Relay as we speak," he replied. "I'll let you get some more rest," he added, heading out the door.

"Thank you," she smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Of course," he grinned, walking out slowly. 


	41. Finally Got Her Man

Shepard felt awful and worried that she couldn't remember what had happened the night before. She hoped she hadn't embarrassed herself around Kaidan. She'd never been much of a drinker and the shots had caught up with her quickly. She caught a whiff of her alcoholic breath and headed immediately for the shower. She took a long swig of water that Kaidan had lovingly left her but still felt sick to her stomach. She sat at her desk and checked their flight status. They were three days away from the relay.

She headed up to the bridge to talk to Joker about their next move once they went through the relay. "You look like you are feeling better?" Joker asked with a superior grin on his face.  
>"I talked to you last night? Shit, what did I say?" Shepard wondered, trying to find some hidden recollection.<p>

"You sure did," he laughed. "Alenko looked like he had his hands full," he added, making a motion with his hands.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Joker smiled.

"So we are three days from the relay and another day from Ilos with FTL?" she asked.

"Yeah, if we want to go under the Geth radar, we can go stealth a few hundred thousand miles out. It shouldn't take much longer," he replied.

"Good," Shepard said. "I guess I should tell the crew what is going on since I technically kidnapped them."

Shepard got on the comm after trying to rehearse in her head for a moment. "This is Shepard. I know you all must be wondering what is going on, so bear with me. The Council forced my hand, but I will hold all the responsibility for what has happened. None of you have to worry about your careers. If you want to stand down from your duties I understand. We are going to Ilos to track down Saren and stop the Reapers."

"Um, Commander, you don't monitor our extranet usage right? I thought that was considered private under Alliance Law," Joker asked after she'd finished.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Um, just something you said last night when you were drunk," Joker replied.

"You don't have anything to worry about," Shepard laughed, walking away.

She returned to her cabin and spent the next few days coming up with several scenario plans. She talked with Liara frequently about the layout of Ilos and her ideas as to what the Conduit might be.

On their last night before hitting the relay, Shepard felt confident about her plans. She was prepared for almost anything. To avoid tracking from the Citadel or Alliance, she had cut off extranet access. The crew seemed behind her, but they grew bored without much to do.  
>Kaidan have been avoiding Shepard for the past few days and she started to wonder if she had said something horrible when she was drunk. She was pleasantly surprised when he came by her cabin after dinner.<p>

"Commander," he smiled as she welcomed him in.

"For all I know, I have already been stripped of that title," she shook her head.

"I never thought I'd have to break regs to do the right thing," he replied.

"I am sort of glad that my career will end in such exciting disgrace. Stole the first Normandy-class Alliance vessel and kidnapped forty crew members," she replied.

"They can always throw in High Treason and send us in front of the firing squad," he added. "Look Shepard, with everything that has happened between us, I just wanted to let you know it has been a pleasure to serve under you," he replied.

"That's it?" she asked "You come in here, freshly shaved and showered after dinner to tell me that? You've been a stranger the past few days. I thought maybe I'd said something inappropriate the other night."

"You only confirmed what I suspected Shepard," he smiled, taking a step closer to her.

"I see," she grinned. "Now I wish I remembered what I said."

"I don't want this to change anything Shepard, but I can't stop thinking about you. I don't know what we are going to face when we get to Ilos, but I don't want to have any regrets."

"Did you come here hoping to get lucky soldier?" she asked, standing on her toes to kiss him gently on the lips.

"Hoping, ma'am," he looked down at her and kissed her back. He pulled away for a long breath and smiled at her.

"I knew our first kiss would be perfect," she smiled, putting her hands in his thick hair..

"Actually, we kissed the other night, uh, well you kissed me," he blushed.

"Oh, I knew I'd screw this up," she let her head fall back in disappointment.

"Are you kidding me? I've been thinking about it for days," he grinned. "Why do you think I came here? It has taken all my nerve to stay away so long."

She couldn't resist him and reached up for another kiss, her tongue sliding over his lips. His hands slide down along her body and he picked her off the ground. She giggled slightly and continued exploring his lips as he carried her towards the bed. He set her down gently on the bed and continued to his her.

She pulled his shirt over his head and caressed his bare chest. It was smooth and golden in color, with only a fine amount of dark hair. She gently touched the pink scar where he had been wounded on Virmire. "You're healing up nicely," she smiled.

"Ready for combat," he smiled.

He slowly slipped her shirt off, loosening her hair from its bun. He brushed aside her long red hair and kissed her shoulder, pulling the strap of her undershirt down. She fumbled with his belt, anxious to get his pants off. She could tell by the bulge in his shorts that Dr. Chakwas was correct about him being above average. She couldn't wait to get everything else off and struggled with the laces on his boots quickly. "We've got all night Shepard," Kaidan grinned, sitting up to help her.

"It's those damn double knots," Shepard laughed. "I learned how to tie them but not untie them."

"How do you tie yours?" he asked.

"The way that gets them off the quickest," she smiled, as he now sat in only his black undershorts.

"Then why do you have more clothes on?" Kaidan teased.

"Let's do something about that, shall we?" she climbed off the bed.

She unbuckled her pants and slowly slide them past her thighs, watching as he watched her undress. She managed to kick off her pants and boots at the same time, barely having her boots tired at all. "More?" she smiled, standing in front of him in her underwear, sliding her bra off slowly.

"I will if you will," he grinned, looking down at her panties.

She grinned and slid her panties down as he pulled his shorts off. They looked over each others' bodies for a moment before Shepard climbed onto the bed and kiss him again.

"You are so beautiful Shepard," he said after she left his lips.  
>"Call me Rachael tonight," she smiled. "And I think I'd prefer serving under you right now," she grinned, pulling him towards her.<p>

He rolled her onto her back and lie gently on top of her. His muscular frame felt heavy on top of her body but she liked feeling helpless under him. She played out this night so many times in her head and had planned everything but couldn't remember any of it at the moment. She was only aware of how his body felt on hers and the quiet sounds of his excited breaths.

She forgot all her troubles for a moment on concentrated on Kaidan. It was a sweet relief to be free from worry for a while and Kaidan seemed perfectly capable of serving on top, underneath and any other way in between. As Shepard relished in the afterglow, Kaidan snuggled at her side, panting heavily and gently caressing her stomach.

"That was almost worth the wait," she hissed out between heavy breaths. She rolled onto her side and kissed him greedily on the mouth.

"You wish we hadn't waited," he grinned, his face still close to hers.

"Well, if we had been doing that every night, I would've been in a much better mood. But then again, I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else," she smiled.

"You are something else, Rachael," he added, slipping his hands through the hair near her face.

"Right back at ya Kaidan," she beamed.

She gave him another small kiss and nuzzled her nose against his. She let her eyes close as he continued stroking her hair. She fell asleep in his arms and woke up a few hours later, shivering slightly without a blanket. Kaidan had turned over and was sleeping on his stomach, his magnificent back glowing the the blue light of the cabin. She admired it for a moment, letting her hand slide across it. He stirred a little, mumbling something and smacking his lips together before resuming to breath quietly. She wrapped the covers around the both of them and snuggled next to him on her side, keeping her hand resting on his ass.

She got up in the morning, giving his ass a slight squeeze, but he did not wake up. She let him sleep and slipped into the shower. She couldn't remember the last time she was in such a good mood. She dried off and found him still asleep. She sat down at her desk and looked over their flight status. They were close to the relay and would be going through soon. She was about to grab breakfast when she heard Kaidan stirring. He rolled over and sat up in bed as she watched him. "I thought you were going to sleep all morning," she grinned.

"You really put me through my paces last night," he said, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"It isn't too late. But we should be hitting the relay soon," she replied.  
>"I guess I should get up then," he said, pulling the covers away.<p>

"I think you should stay in bed," she replied, standing up. She started at his naked body as he climbed on the bed and straddled his bare legs. "You still have a little bit in you, right?" she smiled, kissing him and taking a handful of his thick wavy hair in her hands.

"We don't have time, do we?" he wondered, wrapping his arms around her.

"I don't care," she replied, kissing him.

Joker interrupted their kiss on the comm. "Commander, we are fifteen minutes from the relay," he said.

"I'll be up in ten," she gave Kaidan a devilish grin.

"You are already dressed Shepard," he replied, squeezing her tightly. "And besides, you know I like to take my time."

"Mmm you're no fun," she replied, giving him a long kiss. She let her tongue play around his mouth, teasing him further. She glanced down between where she was straddling him and grinned. "What about that?" she eyed him with lust.

"I will take care of that and meet you upstairs," he added.

"Then I will be upstairs thinking about you touching yourself in my shower. That is even worse," she said, rolling off the bed.

"You are too much," he laughed, shooing her away.

She took one last look at his naked figure padding to her shower and sat down the put her boots on. She heard the shower turn on as she tied her boots in an easy knot. "Shepard, what is this?" Kaidan asked, peeking his head out of the bathroom door, holding her strangely shaped Hanar sex toy.

"That's all your fault," she smiled, as she skipped out of her cabin. "Hey," she said happily, slapping Joker on the back. "We ready to do this?"

"You sure are chipper this morning?" Joker asked. "So much so, that I had to use the term 'chipper'.''

"We finally got our man," she said, slapping the back of his chair, thinking of Kaidan in her shower. "Saren is going down."

She could see the relay ahead. She was somehow less worried about this mission than the others. She had no idea what to expect once they made it through the relay. It didn't matter what happened on the other side. She didn't care whether she got Saren or not, she had her man already. Kaidan joined her ten minutes later, touching the small of her back furtively as they went through the relay. She had a hidden smile on her face as they made the jump towards Ilos. 


	42. I've Got A Bad Feeling About This

The Normandy still had a half day of flight before they reached Ilos. Shepard returned down to her cabin to go over her plans of attack. Kaidan eventually brought breakfast in and sat down at the table near Shepard's desk. "I thought we should talk more before we get to Ilos," Kaidan began. "And eat breakfast," he added.

"You aren't having second thoughts about us?" Shepard asked, closing her reports.

"No, last night was, well I can't even describe it, but I don't want to take your mind off the mission," he went on.

"I know a lot has happened in the last week, maybe I am slipping a little, but you make me feel grounded, Kaidan. Who knows what I would have done to Udina if you hadn't been there? I got drunk and apparently made an ass of myself, but better than being in the brig for murder," Shepard replied.

"You've been carrying a lot on your shoulders Shepard. I understand it, believe me. I will always be there to pick up the slack if you need me, that is all."

"Good, I've got a bunch of paperwork you have finished," she joked, sitting down at the table with him. He gave her a look of seriousness and she caved. "Okay, so how do we deal with being with each other and still remaining professional?" she mused.

"We've got to keep our mind on our duties," Kaidan replied.

"But we can still have a little fun?" Shepard said, making bedroom eyes at him. "We are on duty from breakfast to dinner, so in between then," she trailed off.

"Shepard, if we make it through this without a court martial, I won't worry about getting in trouble for fraternization," he smiled.

"Well, hopefully we beat Saren to Ilos. If the Council hadn't slowed us down, we'd have got him for sure. I just wish we knew what the Conduit was," Shepard went on.

"What will happen if we make it back?"

"I guess it depends on how things go. Either we will be dead, heroes, or instigators of an intergalactic war."

"That's, hopeful," Kaidan paused.

"Not to worry, Alenko," Shepard caressed his hand. "I feel like a woman reborn. I can take on anything."

Joker interrupted them suddenly on the comm once again. "Just like clockwork," Shepard grinned.

"What?" Joker replied.

"What is it Joker? I am trying to finish breakfast," Shepard asked.

"Just wanted to let you know we are an hour away from visual range of Ilos," Joker replied.

"Call everyone upstairs, I want to go over everything we know," Shepard added.

"It is back to duty then," Kaidan said, cleaning up their trays.

"Lieutenant," Shepard nodded, smacking him on the backside as he walked out. He gave her a serious glance but said nothing as he left her cabin.

Shepard changed into her armor and made sure all of her guns were charged and cleaned. She hoped there would be no resistance on Ilos, but things seemed too good to be true. She wanted to believe they'd beaten Saren to the planet, but the Council had caused them more than a week's delay.

She headed to the comm room to go over all the intel they had on Ilos, the Conduit, and Saren. "Our main priority is to find out what the Conduit is and what Saren wants with it. He may be a threat, but the Reapers are something worse. We can't allow him to use the Conduit for whatever purpose, in order to aid the Reapers," Shepard began her speech.

"We still don't know what this Conduit does?" Garrus asked.

"I have seen no mention of it in all of my Prothean research. I believe it is some sort of gateway or possibly a weapon, judging from Shepard's vision. The Prothean's guarded it well," Liara replied.

"Commander, I've got eyes on Ilos. There are Geth ships all around the planet," Joker radioed.

"Damn it!" Shepard swore. "Why did I think we could beat him here?" she said under her breath with a frown. "Alright, we will have to go in stealth until they can see us. We will probably have to make a quick drop in the Mako so the Normandy can make a fast run out of here. Liara, I want you with me, in case we run into anything Prothean."

"Who else will be going down?" Wrex asked.

Shepard looked around the room quickly. As much as she didn't want Kaidan to come on such a dangerous mission, she didn't want to baby him. She needed to test her own resolve in combat and that she could do her job. "Lieutenant Alenko will be coming also," Shepard nodded at Kaidan. "Everyone else will need to man their stations. I doubt Saren and Geth are just going to let us mosey on into the atmosphere," Shepard added.

The crew left slowly, discussing the possibilities of the Conduit and what the reaction of going back to Alliance space would be once they finished their mission. Shepard headed to the bridge to view the radar around Ilos. "It's a whole damn armada," Joker shook his head. "You know, if it wasn't for the Council we could have been sipping piña colada's right now after having destroyed the Conduit."

"I would have pegged you for a margarita type guy," Shepard tried to laugh. "This is going to get ugly. As soon as we hit the atmosphere we need to find a drop point for the Mako. Hopefully we can lose some of the Geth in cloud cover and the Normandy can head back to safe territory."

"This sort of sounds like a one way trip," Joker remarked.

"Well, ten Geth ships, the huge fucking Reaper, and whatever the hell the Conduit is. We might be dropping down into hell for all I know," Shepard replied.

"And you were so cheery this morning," Joker grinned.

"Yeah, it kind of pisses me off. Let me know when we get closer," Shepard patted the back of his chair.

Reality had finally sunk in for Shepard. She was happy to have been with Kaidan, but with Saren now ahead of them once again, her mind had returned to combat mode. They'd be going in blind into hostile territory. Shepard could feel her mind beginning to race again with possibilities and needed to clear her head for a moment. She went down to chat with Dr. Chakwas for a while, not yet revealing her night with Kaidan. "Why does it sound like you are saying goodbye," Dr. Chakwas asked.

"It's like in those old movies. I've got a bad feeling about this. And when someone has a bad feeling, someone usually dies," Shepard frowned.

"You'll make it back here just fine," Dr. Chakwas grinned. "And then you can tell me why Lt. Alenko has been whistling all day at his workstation."

"He wasn't whistling was he?" Shepard grinned. Dr. Chakwas only smiled and gave Shepard a hug. Shepard hoped it wouldn't be the last one they shared.  
> <p>


	43. Ruins

As they closed in on Ilos, Shepard headed down to the Mako with Kaidan and Liara, prepared to drop down. Joker kept them informed on the comm as they began to descend into the atmosphere.  
>"Looks like we've got some clouds Commander, I don't know how much good it will do," Joker called. "And where the hell is that drop point Pressley?" he yelled away from the comm.<p>Joker and Pressley argued back and forth before Joker finally released the cargo bay doors without Pressley's authority. The Mako fell sharply, hurtling towards the broken ruins. "Is he trying to kill us?" Kaidan yelled, pressing down as hard as he could on the propulsion jets.<p>

"This is going to be a hard landing, brace yourselves," Shepard pressed her body against her seat as her stomach flipped.

Kaidan managed to right the Mako so they landed straight, but with a heavy thud that shook the entire tank. Everyone took a moment to recover from the hard fall. "Joker is going to look real happy without any fucking teeth," Shepard held the back of her head that had smacked on the seat.

"It jarred the cameras, we've got no eyes to the outside," Kaidan said.

Shepard unbuckled herself and looked out each of the small manual slots. "We are clear for now, let's move out," Shepard pressed on the door. The lock stuck a little but she managed to get it open.

She checked either side of the tank and climbed out with her pistol in hand. "Look at this place," Shepard looked up at the towering ruins they'd managed not to hit.

"It is a miracle we avoided them. You are quite an adept driver," Liara praised Kaidan.

"This must be where Joker saw the Geth go into. It looks like they shut the doors behind them," Kaidan looked ahead of them.

"This place is falling apart. There has to be a way past it," Shepard replied.

"This looks like a console here," Liara wandered off. "I only hope it works."

She looked over the console and interfaced with her omni-tool. "It is still operational," she said excitedly. "These are floodgates. Apparently we landed in some of the ancient aqueducts. There is a security station nearby where we can open them again."

"Great, let's go," Shepard replied.

Liara led them ahead down a small access tunnel that eventually led into the larger facility. "This place is unbelievable," Liara remarked as they entered the building. "Even fifty-thousand years later and it is still standing."

"I still don't trust it," Shepard frowned, looking up at the collapsed ceiling.

They followed Liara as she led them through the facility towards the security station that would open the flood gates. Saren had left Geth to slow them down, but they were easy to take down. They only faced a challenge when the armature tanks stood in their way.

They finally made it to the security station and were able to open the flood gates. As Liara activated the interface, a hologram popped up. "What the hell is this?" Shepard asked, trying to shut off the incomprehensible message.

"What language is that?" Kaidan asked.

"I believe it is Prothean," Liara replied.

"I can understand it. But it doesn't make any sense. It is just bits and pieces," Shepard said.

"The beacon must have given you access to the Prothean language. How fortunate you are!" Liara gushed.

"Well, it isn't doing us any good. Let's get back to the aqueduct," Shepard replied.

They returned through the facility and found the flood gate doors now open. They climbed back into the Mako and plodded forward. "What now Commander?" Kaidan asked. "We still don't know what the Conduit is or where Saren is going."

"We will just have to follow his tracks. He shut these doors for a reason," she replied.

"What is that ahead?" Liara asked, seeing a large forcefield in their way.

"Another trap left by Saren?" Shepard wondered.

They drove up the forcefield and climbed out of the Mako once again. "Damn it," Shepard swore. "He is always one step ahead of us!" She studied the forcefield but could make no sense of it.

"Commander, there is an elevator here. Perhaps we can cut the power to force field somewhere below," Kaidan said, walking over to a large set of doors.

"Let's just hope the power doesn't cut out and we get trapped in there," Shepard shook her head and called the elevator. 


	44. Race to the Conduit

Shepard and her team rode the mysterious elevator in silence. They hoped to find some way to remove the force field from their path. The elevator led to a large room that spanned many stories above and below them. A single platform led to a console at the center of the room. "What the hell is this place?" Shepard asked, looking up at the enormous room that surrounded them.

"This is the Repository," a VI interface suddenly appeared on the console in front of them.

"It looks like an ancient VI," Liara wondered. "Could it be Prothean?"

"I an Vigil, the Watcher of this facility," the VI replied.

"Can you remove the forcefield that is in our way?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, I placed it there," Vigil replied. "I have been monitoring your communications and discovered none of you were indoctrinated."

"What do you want from us?" Kaidan asked.

"It is fate that you are here and a testament to the longstanding will of organic survival. The Proteans were not the first race to be destroyed by the Reapers. This cycle has occurred for millions of years," Vigil said.

As Vigil went on, he explained how the Reapers used the Citadel to mold races into evolving in just the right way. When the time was right, the Reapers would return from dark space and harvest the organic civilizations that had flourished in their long sleep. It was a grim cycle of rebirth and death, all orchestrated by the Reapers. The surviving Prothean scientists on Ilos had used the Conduit to access the Citadel and prevented the Keepers from sending the ready signal to the Reaper hordes. Vigil gave them them the same code that would prevent the Keepers from calling the Reapers from dark space.

"Where is Saren? Has he gone through yet?" Shepard asked.

"He is at the Conduit now. You must go if you have any chance to save the galaxy," Vigil replied.

Shepard spun quickly on her heels and rushed towards the elevator. "I wish we could stay longer. The secrets that Vigil holds," Liara remarked as they rode back up.

"If the Council hadn't waited a week we could have prevented all of this," Shepard shook her head.

They climbed back into the Mako, finding the forcefield in front of them gone. "We don't have any time left, we need to get to the Conduit. Just keep your foot on the gas and don't stop for anything," Shepard ordered Kaidan.

The Mako lurched forwards and they drove furiously through the aqueducts until they reached the spillway below. The Conduit stood shinning in the distance, an armada of Geth blocking their way. "We will never make it," Kaidan slammed on the brakes.

"We have to," Shepard replied. "If Saren activates that signal it is going to be a blood bath. We will have to route any and all power to the shields," Shepard added, working on the console in front of her. She took all the power from the guns and cameras so they would be driving in blind.

Kaidan reluctantly hit the gas again and plowed through the Geth forces. The shield damage sirens blared as the Mako was rocked by blasts. "She isn't going to hold together!" Kaidan yelled as the Mako began to shake violently.

"Come on you bitch!" Shepard screamed, using the rest of the power for the tank's lighting to fuel the shields. In the darkness they could feel the Mako catapulted forward.

"What is happening?" Liara asked.

"We must be going through the Conduit!" Shepard yelled, not even able to see her hand in front of her face.

Their momentum stopped suddenly and the tank crashed violently, flipping over and leaving them upside down. Shepard lost consciousness for a moment and was awoken by the spark of a broken electrical line. It cast a white flash into the dark cabin every few seconds. She was held fast in her seat by her shoulder straps and she tried to look around for her crew. "Kaidan? Liara?" she called out quietly.

"I am here Commander," Kaidan replied. "Liara is next to me but she is unconscious."

"Will she be alright?" Shepard asked, trying to work her harness off.

"I hope so. It was probably just the impact," he replied, unbuckling himself. He fell with a thud onto the roof.

"I can't get this off," Shepard struggled. "It must be jammed."

"Here Commander," Kaidan said, finding a flare from the emergency kit. It lit the cabin in pale green that reflected off the combat knife in his other hand. "You are going to fall as soon as I cut it but I will try to catch you," he added. He sliced at the thick nylon as she tried to twist her body so she wouldn't fall on her head.

Shepard crashed to the floor, landing on his crouched knees. "Are you alright?" he asked looking down on her, the green glowing on his visor.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Go check on Liara, I will try to get the emergency hatch open."

Shepard picked up the flare and searched for the small handle of the emergency hatch on the floor. She pulled on the small ring with all of her strength but her lithe frame didn't carry much weight. She heard Liara wake up with a start as Kaidan put a salt under her nose. "What happened?" Liara asked, slightly dazed.

"My guess is the Conduit," Shepard groaned, pulling down on the door again.

"Let me help," Kaidan said, crawling over towards her.

He pulled on the door and it creaked open with a little more effort. "I was just priming it for you Lieutenant," Shepard tried to joke and she peeked her head out.

They had landed in the Presidium, close to the Citadel Tower. It looked like Saren had brought an entire attack force through the Conduit. There were no people to be found and the gleaming white walls and buildings were scorched or still ablaze. Shepard climbed out of the Mako and jumped down, her body sore from the crash. "We've got to get up to the Council Chambers and get to that master control unit," Shepard yelled, pressing the elevator door button repeatedly.

Kaidan helped Liara out and climbed down from the Mako. It was marred by pulse fire and mangled from the crash. "I never liked that thing anyway," Shepard looked at the charred tank, pressing on the elevator button again.

The elevator finally arrived and they climbed inside. "I still can't get a signal to anyone. I don't want to imagine what is going on outside," Shepard remarked.

As the elevator climbed, it began to stall and eventually shut down. Shepard pressed violently on all the buttons and finally kicked the console panel. "Damn it! Of all the fucking elevators to break down," Shepard swore.

"Saren probably knows we are coming and shut them down," Kaidan replied.

"How did I know I'd get stuck in an elevator today?" Shepard shook her head, looking out the glass window. She cocked her pistol and closed up her helmet. "Close your suits, we are going for a walk," she radioed to them. 


	45. Battle for the Citadel

Shepard stood at the back of the elevator and fired into the glass, causing it to crack. Another shot shattered the glass and sent them floating out into the zero gravity exhaust plain. She activated her gravity boots and slowly sunk down onto the exterior below her feet. She looked up to see how far they had to go and saw Sovereign attached to the top of the tower. "I hate that fucking ship," she stared at the imposing space craft.

"What is it doing?" Liara asked.

"It can't be good," Kaidan replied

"We've got to get to that tower as fast as we can. Run and gun," Shepard added.

"We are right behind you ma'am," Kaidan nodded.

They trudged ahead, each footstep drawn down onto the metal exterior of the tower. It caused them a slower pace but it couldn't be helped. A dropship flew over them and easily got a visual of their location. Geth forces immediately dropped down to intercept them. The fighting was more cautious in the zero gravity environment, but Shepard pressed them forward. The defense towers on the plain had been disabled but Kaidan was able to hack their controls back on. The guns provided them some respite and they eventually found the emergency hatch leading into the Council Chambers.

The Geth had stormed their way through the Chambers, leaving it unrecognizable. Trees burned and the landscape was scored with pulse fire. The remaining Geth ambled around, unaware of their presence. Shepard picked off as many as should could with her rifle, while Kaidan and Liara cleared out the rest with their pistols. Shepard moved towards the master control unit and found Saren in front of it. She trained her scope on the back of his head.

"Saren, make another move and you are dead," Shepard yelled.

"Shepard. I expected you sooner," Saren said without turning around.

"I had a little chat with a VI on Ilos. It told me all about the Reapers' plans and how you are just another pawn in their scheme to destroy organics," Shepard replied.

"Sovereign needs me. I have proven myself useful and have been rewarded," Saren laughed, slowly turning around. He looked much different than when they had last met.

"What the hell have you done?" Shepard asked.

"Sovereign helped me better myself. It implanted me. I am now stronger and more intelligent," Saren replied. "You missed your chance to be apart of this."

"Apart of what? Being indoctrinated," Shepard shook her head. "They were using you from the start and now you've let them take over your mind."

"No, you're wrong," Saren protested.

"Come on. The Reapers got what they wanted out of you. You found the Conduit, you have the code to open the relay. What else do they need you for?"

"You, maybe you are right," he held his head. "But I can't fight against them."

"Yes you can. You were once a Spectre. The Council chose you for a reason. Help me fight them," Shepard yelled back. Saren groaned loudly, trying to fight the indoctrination as Benezia had.

"Thank you, Shepard," Saren finally said, reaching for his gun. Before Shepard could fire a shot he shot himself with his own pistol. He tumbled down into the courtyard below with a thud.

"He couldn't fight it anymore. Just like my mother," Liara said sadly.

"Come on, we need to get to that control unit," Shepard pulled herself from her crouched stance.

They rushed up to the platform and opened the file Vigil had given them. It allowed them access to all of the Citadel's controls. "We need to open the station's arms so any ships left can get to Sovereign," Kaidan said.

Shepard began the process to open the arms and tried getting all of the communication channels open. A distress call from the Destiny Ascension was being broadcast on all channels. Joker's voice finally cracked in her helmet after a moment. "Joker is that you?" Shepard radioed.

"Commander, where the hell are you? The Mako's transmitter disappeared. We thought you guys were toast. We headed back to Arcturus to let the Alliance know what was going on," Joker radioed back.

"The Geth are tearing this place apart. Sovereign is attached to the Citadel Tower but it is going to take thirty minutes to get the station arms open all the way," Shepard added. "You won't get a shot at that bastard until then."

"What about the Council? They could help defend the Destiny Ascension," Kaidan suggested.

"I won't blame you for holding us back Commander, it is your call. We can bring the whole Fifth Fleet with us or wait until the station arms are open," Joker replied.

"They'll be heavy casualties if we don't wait, but we can't just leave the Council helpless. No matter how they treated us," Kaidan responded.  
>"You're right," Shepard finally sighed. "I know I am going to regret this," she added, opening the rest of the relays that had been disabled. "Give them hell Joker."<p>

Shepard glanced down at the courtyard where Saren's body lie. "Make sure he is dead and grab his guns, mine is almost out of charge," Shepard ordered.

As Liara and Kaidan climbed down the maintenance ladder, Shepard tried to get in contact with C-Sec but couldn't get any response. She stood leaning on the console, monitoring all other communication as the Fifth Fleet and Normandy entered Citadel space. "He is dead, Commander," Kaidan radioed back.

"At least one thing in this mission was easy," Shepard said to herself, resting against the console and closing her eyes. She was exhausted and hungry from their long day. She felt the room rumble slightly and looked up to see what was happening. Something began emanating from Saren's corpse and the room continued to shake violently. "What the hell is going on down there?" Shepard yelled.

She heard the bolts shearing on the platform and tried to steady herself as it collapsed forward into the courtyard below. She tumbled over the console, her sniper rifle trapped underneath. She rolled onto the ground and tried to pick herself up. The augmented skeleton of Saren burst forth out of his body, screeching at them. Shepard fired her pistol, which was nearly dead. She hoped it had enough charge to take the creature down.

The husk of Saren climbed above them, its thick, mechanical claws easily digging into the walls. It fired at them with a pulse weapon whenever they broke from cover. "We've got to disable it," Kaidan yelled. "I can hack its controls temporarily, but its got override interfaces."

"Anything so we can get a shot at it," Shepard yelled back.

Kaidan managed to disable it for a moment and they were able to get a few shots in. Shepard even threw her last grenade at it. They slowed it down, but it still continued firing on them. "We've got to try something else!" Shepard yelled. "Use your biotics! Anything!"

Kaidan and Liara took turns using biotics fields to keep Saren from firing and moving. Shepard keep firing her pistol until the husk collapsed and her gun was dead. "Fuck!" she leaned up against a rock to catch her breath, pulling her stifling helmet off. "Joker, what's your status?" Shepard radioed the Normandy. She got nothing but static from the other end.

"Maybe it isn't working down here," Kaidan suggested, sitting on top of the rock she leaned against and removed his helmet as well.

"I can only hope so. That console is dead," she added, trying to pull herself up. Kaidan gave her a hand and helped her the rest of the way. "Let's try to get back up there and see if we can raise someone," she said.

The maintenance ladder had been blown away but Liara managed to scale the collapsed platform and help them back up. Shepard tried to call the Normandy again but the only response was a loud yell. "Did that sound like a 'we just blew this ship to hell' or 'we are burning in a fiery death trap' yell?" Shepard wondered.

"We should get back down to the Presidium and look for survivors," Kaidan suggested.

As they were about to turn around to find a way back down, Shepard caught something out of the corner of her eye. "What the hell is that?" she pointed, as a dark object moved towards the giant window that looked over the ward arms.

"Run!" Kaidan yelled, pulling Shepard's arm.

They ran as fast as they could through the ruined chambers. Shepard stumbled on some debris, so Kaidan and Liara got ahead of her. She heard the glass crashing behind her but didn't look back. She kept running until she was knocked to the ground, violently striking her head before blacking out. 


	46. Near Death Experiences

Shepard woke up with an intense pain in her arm. She could hear voices in the distance. She tried crying out but found her throat dry and hoarse. She opened her eyes and saw her arm buried under the giant claw that had exploded through the window. She tried pulling it out but the pain was too intense. She slid her body against the claw and tried to use her legs to raise the claw up even an inch. It was little use. She felt herself on the verge of blacking out again, but she breathed deeply and hung on to consciousness. The medi-gel from her suit was making her woozy and she knew she needed to get out.

She concentrated all her efforts on her biotics, feeling the slight tingle that ran up her nervous system. She urged herself to raise the claw up to free her arm. She thought about Kaidan and hoped he was on the other side of the claw. She could feel the heavy surge pass through her body and when she felt a pop, she quickly pulled her arm free. The pain was unbearable and she cried out in a stifled gurgle. She pushed herself up on her good arm and tried to stand. She was wobbly and her legs hurt, but she managed to stay on her feet. She leaned her shoulder on the claw and began walking along it, hoping to find something to climb over.

It was slow going with only one good arm to keep her balanced on the debris, but she found her way over to the other side. Her heart jumped when she saw Kaidan being helped up by a C-Sec medic. Liara and Captain Anderson were sorting through some nearby rubble. Shepard couldn't yell but she waved and stumbled down the debris, holding her injured arm tightly against her body. She embraced Kaidan tightly with her good arm, not caring that everyone was watching.

"I am glad you are okay Commander," he smiled, his face reddening with relief and happiness.

"Shepard!" Liara said happily, stumbling over the debris to run towards Shepard. Shepard hugged her as well, but with less urgency than with Kaidan.

"Get her down to C-Sec right away!" Anderson ordered. "There is a triage unit set up."

"I am fine," Shepard said, waving her injured arm in pain.

"Come on," Anderson said, urging her away.

She trudged behind him, stumbling over more debris and followed him and several of the C-Sec officers back down to C-Sec headquarters. She tried not to look down at her arm because she knew it was bad. The medi-gel in her suit was finally starting to kick in but things didn't feel right. She asked Anderson several questions about the attack and survivors. He tried not to overwhelm her with details but answered what he could.

C-Sec was a mess. There were aliens and humans alike, all being patched up by makeshift medics and C-Sec officers. "Shepard!" a familiar voice called from the crowded floor. Dr. Michel was down attending to the wounded. The doctor rushed over to Shepard, who had slunk down along the wall. "Let me see," Dr. Michel said, examining her arm. The doctor looked worried and shot Anderson a nod. "You will need to go straight to surgery," Dr. Michel said.

"Great," Shepard said to herself, her voice still hoarse.

The doctor and Anderson helped her up and they climbed into one of the few working shuttles and headed towards the medical clinic. "A surgeon from the Ascension is being escorted over now," Anderson said as Shepard lie down on the table. "So those bastards survived," she grumbled. An Asari doctor rushed in after Shepard had been put under to keep her from going into shock. The bones in her forearm and wrist were crushed, but easily repaired with advanced medicine.

Shepard woke up alone in a recovery room and glanced down at a hard nano-brace that reached just below her elbow. She could move her fingers with a little pain but didn't attempt much. She felt drowsy from the pain medication and soon fell back asleep. She woke up late that night with a trembling cry. She found herself alone again and tried climbing out of bed. She was still woozy from the meds, but hobbled towards the only window in the room. The area below was quiet and empty. There was a disturbing peace to the landscape. The busyness of the Citadel had finally stopped for a moment.

Shepard wished she had someone to talk to, but climbed back in bed and tried to sleep. She stayed wide awake for a while until she felt more pain meds entering her body. She dozed off soon after and awoke later in the morning, finding Captain Anderson at her bedside. "Captain?" she replied. "Is everything okay? How is the Normandy?"

"The Normandy is fine. I just wanted to see how you are doing. There are a bevy of reporters outside trying to get interviews with the 'Savior of the Citadel' as they are calling you," he chuckled slightly.

"Don't they have anything better to do?" she shook her head. "I mean, this whole place was almost destroyed."

"And all thanks to you Shepard," Anderson added. "I am sure you will be happy to know there will be no charges against you or the Normandy crew."

"There better not be, I save those aliens' asses," Shepard laughed slightly.

"I've already arranged for you to take a weeks' shore leave after you get out of here. I know it isn't much but you need time to recover. It will give the Council time to figure out their next step."

"The Reapers are still out there. It is time we brought the fight to them," Shepard added.

Anderson nodded in approval and left Shepard to get some more rest. In the middle of the day, one of the reporters managed to sneak in and tried getting photos of Shepard. Shepard had nearly climbed out of bed, shaking her braced arm at the woman when Dr. Michel returned and had the reporter escorted out. The doctor allowed Shepard to check out and return to Dr. Chakwas' care late in the afternoon.

Shepard went straight back to the Normandy, finding it no worse from the battle with Sovereign. Most of the crew had disembarked, but those that remained looked on her with admiration. Joker, of course, was still on board and gave Shepard a sarcastic round of applause. "Are you ever not a dick?" Shepard laughed, shaking her head.

"Comes with the name I guess," he smiled. "Not to get all sappy or anything, but I am glad you are okay Commander."

"Thank you Joker," Shepard patted him on the back. "What are your big plans for shore leave?"

"I thought I'd stay here, maybe find some frightened young thing who needs a strong man to cry on," he chuckled.

"And where do you come in?" Shepard grinned, punching him in the arm with her good fist.

"Shepard, if Alenko didn't have a thing for you, I'd date you for sure," Joker added.

"What do you mean?" she feigned innocence.

"Kaidan and I are pals. We talk about stuff."

"Kaidan has talked about me?" Shepard wondered, putting her hands on her hips.

"Not, in as many words, but you catch onto things, imagine things," Joker replied.

"Go back to your porn," she rolled her eyes.

She waved goodbye and headed downstairs to grab her things from her cabin. She hadn't yet checked to see if her apartment had survived the attack. As she walked downstairs, she passed Kaidan who was taking some things out of his locker. They locked eyes and she kept his glance as she disappeared into her cabin. He followed her inside immediately. They said nothing but simply embraced. She pressed her face hard against his chest. "I was so worried," he finally said quietly. "I wanted to come see you but," he paused.

"I know," she smiled. They hugged for a moment longer and then Shepard sorted out some of her things as Kaidan sat watching her. She finally sat down with a heavy sigh. "I don't know if I can do this," she said, looking up at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I can't keep my feelings out of my work. I care about you too much. I've never felt anything like this," she held his gaze. "I pulled myself out from under that claw for you."

"We'll just have to do our best," he replied, kneeling between her legs so he was at eye level with her. "I don't want to lose you."

She pressed her face towards him and met his lips with a small kiss and held onto him even tighter. "Maybe some shore leave will help things," he added.

"Going my way?" she smiled.

"Of course," he replied. "Where to?"

"I'll figure that out," she grinned.

They stared at each other for a moment longer before Kaidan spoke again. "I was going to head back out and see if they needed any help," he replied. "And you need to get more sleep," he added, looking into her tired face.

"I am going to check on my apartment," she said. "Meet me tonight?"

"I can't wait," he grinned.

He left her and she returned to packing up her few belongings. She checked on her apartment and found that the entire block was safe. She had her things sent over and walked slowly through the Citadel. The damage was extensive but already under repair. Lines of displaced aliens and humans stood waiting at staging areas. From what Shepard could see, the worst was far from over.

She returned to her apartment and took a long nap. She showered and then began browsing the extranet for vacation destinations. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She'd seen enough of the Citadel to fill a lifetime. She modified her old tickets with the addition of Kaidan and booked a five day excursion. They would be leaving first thing in the morning, having to spend an entire day of travel just to get to their destination.

Kaidan called a while later and showed up with a lovely packed dinner. "I can't remember the last time I ate," she shook her head as she ate voraciously.

"I was lucky to get anything," Kaidan replied. "It is a real mess down there. I can't imagine us getting out of here for a week."

"Already done," she smiled. "My newfound status allowed me to get us the first flight out in the morning."

"So where are we going?" he asked.

"Fiji," she replied.

"Fiji?" he asked.

"I thought I'd finally see Earth. And why not go somewhere tropical," she grinned.

They finished dinner and settled in to watch a vid like a regular couple. They shut off all news interruptions regarding the Citadel. They went to bed early, prepared to leave on the first shuttle off the Citadel. Shepard slept well next to Kaidan, now with the weight of catching Saren off her back. She had an entire week to look forward to. 


	47. Two Tickets to Paradise

Shepard and Kaidan got up early to catch their flight off the Citadel. The spaceport was a madhouse, crowded with frightened aliens trying to get the first flight out. "I'm just going to grab a few supplies," Shepard said.

"You'd better hurry, they are almost ready to board," Kaidan replied.

Shepard left Kaidan at the shuttle gate and returned with a few magazines and snacks right as they were boaring. They got settled into their seats and Shepard pulled out a Fornax and began browsing through it.

"Was that one of the supplies you got?" Kaidan whispered embarrassed. "You are bringing dirty magazines on our vacation? Couldn't you get a normal magazine?"

"All the normal magazines had my picture on them. I don't want anyone to ruin our vacation by recognizing me ," she replied.

"Well, unless they miss this," Kaidan said, pulling out the shuttle's in-flight magazine. Shepard was on the cover, a old picture from her Star of Terra ceremony pasted on an exterior view of the Citadel. The headline read "A Look at the Savior of the Citadel."

"Shit," Shepard shook her head. "Switch me seats, I don't want to sit in the aisle."

"I actually remember watching this vid when I was still at the Academy," Kaidan smiled, as he changed seats with her. "I had a little crush on you afterward."

"Oh, so you've been thinking about me since then?" Shepard grinned. Kaidan blushed and nodded.

"You tease," Shepard said, smacking him on the arm lovingly with her magazine.

"Can't you put that away?' he asked, embarrassed at the scantily clad Asari on the cover.

"I need something to read," Shepard replied innocently. "Plus they've got all these positions we can try, see," she turned to a page and showed him the animated illustration of a rather compromising sex position. He shut the magazine and took her hand so she couldn't open it again.

"Are you always like this?" he blushed.

"Like what?"

"So, uh, amped up?"

"I'll settle down after a few days," she squeezed his hand.  
>"I hope so," he replied, giving her a sly look. "My father warned me about girls like you."<p>

"You're in trouble when I get you alone," she leaned in to give him a kiss.

The flight crew made an announcement, interrupting their kiss. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to welcome on board Commander Rachael Shepard, The savior of the Citadel herself. We are honored you chose Freedom Shuttles for your travel needs, Commander," the woman announced.

"I can't escape it," Shepard whispered, sinking down into her chair.

"It'll be alright," Kaidan patted her hand.

They relaxed in their seats as the shuttle took off towards the relay leading to Arcturus. Shepard read for a while, as Kaidan slept with his head resting on her shoulder. His soft hair would tickle her neck occasionally and she finally decided to sleep, leaning against the window. She was awoken by the snap of the shutters as they neared Earth's atmosphere. She caught only a glimpse of the blue planet before the shutters closed. They landed shortly at the spaceport and headed to the dock to catch their hover boat.

The boat ride took longer than expected on the rough seas. Kaidan became slightly sea sick, so Shepard tried to soothe him by rubbing his back. "We are almost there, I promise," she replied, seeing the island in the distance.

They landed and disembarked, the steward carrying their cases up to the small house. "If you need anything, use the uplink," the steward said.

Shepard thanked him and sent a tip to his omni-tool and strolled up to the house. It was a small cottage situated on an artificial island. A large development company had built a small archipelago just off the main island of Fiji. Shepard had paid quite a bit to reserve the island for the week.

"How can you afford this?" Kaidan asked, walking around the luxurious cottage. The house was an open floor plan, the large kitchen just off the bedroom. The large bed sat in the middle of room and was enclosed by a beautifully carved native canopy.

"You do a few side jobs for some people and the credits start to rack up," Shepard smiled, embracing him from behind.

"This is amazing Shepard," he replied, taking her hands in his.

"It's Rachael for the week, Lieutenant," she prodded him. "If you call me Shepard, Commander or Ma'am, you get punished."

"And if you call me lieutenant?" he turned around.  
>"That's up to you," she smiled, reaching up to give him a kiss. He held her for a long time, lifting her off her feet.<p>

"Should we check out the beach?" she pulled away slightly.

"Sounds good," he smiled.

She found a basket of fresh fruit inside and grabbed a large green apple. "Let's head to the beach," she called, taking a large bite out of the apple.

Kaidan looked through his bag for his diving shorts. "Aren't you going to put your bathing suit on? " he asked as she stood eating her apple.

"No. I'll just go naked. There is no one around," she replied, taking another bite from the apple. She sauntered over to him and held the apple up to his mouth. He took a bite and hugged her slightly. "You know there are satellites that can take pictures from space," he laughed.

"Let them!" she smiled.

They walked down the thin stone path that weaved through the lush jungle and found a small quiet lagoon on the north side of the artificial island. Shepard stripped off her dress without modesty and ran into the water. Kaidan followed in a less enthusiastic style. "This is perfect!" Shepard exclaimed as the water lapped around her breasts.

"Seriously Shep uh Rachael, who did you kill to get this place?" he asked.

She only smiled and swam away, giving him a salty kiss before leaving. They swam for about an hour then returned to the beach. "We forgot to grab towels," Kaidan remarked.

"I'll air dry," Shepard replied, prowling around the beach naked.

"What do we do for food here?" he asked.

"All you think about is food," she smiled. "I'll take a look and see," she said, turning back towards the house. "They've stocked the house with food, we just have to cook it."

"I can't imagine you cook?" Kaidan laughed, following her back up the trail.

"I resent that," Shepard turned back to him. "I grew up on a farm!"

She stopped at the outdoor shower to rinse the salt water off. Kaidan sat on the edge of a rock watching her. "Are all the guys you've dated this crazy about you?" he asked, staring at her wet body.  
>"I never asked," she grinned, shaking the water off her body.<p>

She bent over and gave him a kiss. "I only know that I am crazy about you," she grinned.

"I'll make dinner," Kaidan teased.

"Fine by me," Shepard sulked, jumping onto the bed.

Kaidan looked through the kitchen and began chopping some fresh vegetables. He watched as Shepard lie on her stomach naked, her legs tucked behind her. She pulled out her Fornax and began reading, making quiet comments as she turned the pages. As he watched her, he accidentally cut his finger slightly. "Ouch," he pulled his finger back, as she turned her eyes towards him.

"I never cut myself when I cook," she moped. "Don't get blood on the food," she added in a teasing tone.

"You are trying to distract me," he walked towards the bed. He shut her magazine and sat on the edge of the bed. She rolled over and looked at him, exposing her body to him. He let his hand wander up her side. "Why don't you get dressed and help?" he asked.

"Can't dinner wait?" she replied, pulling on his shirt.

"Oh Shepard," he grinned, leaning down to kiss her.

"That's a spanking," she grinned, stopping his face in front of hers.

"Come on Shepard it is habit," he covered his mouth to hide his second slip.

"That's two," she smiled. " Come on, lay down on the bed, face first," she demanded.

He begrudgingly turned over seeing the seriousness in her eyes. He looked back at her nervously. "I'm not going to hurt you, Mr. Extranet fetish guy," she grinned. "Pants down."

"You have to bring that up again?" he laughed.

"Yes, now close your eyes," she ordered.

He shut his eyes, letting out a nervous sigh. She raised her hand and hit his backside with a firm slap. "Okay, same cheek or different cheek for the second one. "

"It doesn't matter," he replied complainingly.

"Oh don't get feisty," she teased. She let her hand smack down again on the same faint red mark on his ass. "See that wasn't so bad," she grinned. "You can flip over Lieutenant. "

He turned over with a smile. "You did that one on purpose," he said, slipping off his shirt. "But I'll give you a pass on that. "

"Oh come on," she whined. "You know you want to," she added.

They happily made love and finally got dinner made. The ate on the patio that overlooked the water and talked until the sun finally went down. They settled in to play some games on the screen console and snacked on some more food. They snuggled in the large bed, making love once again before falling asleep. Shepard finally thought she could get used to life on Earth. 


	48. Back to Work

The rest of Shepard and Kaidan's week together proceeded much like the first day. They would usually have sex twice a day and spent the rest of the day swimming and lounging near the beach. They got into a slight argument on the day before they left, Shepard trying to initiate sex for the third time in the day. Kaidan was slightly annoyed at feeling like a sex object. Shepard promised him that he was more than that. She truly did love him but she was afraid to say it to him. She'd lost everyone she'd loved once before and couldn't bear to think about losing him.

They managed to settle things before going to bed, but Shepard lay awake most of the night, contemplating their relationship. She had never opened up to someone as much as she had to Kaidan. She felt sudden anxiety at being so vulnerable even if she had never told him she loved him. She finally climbed out of bed and sat out on the patio, staring out into the darkness.

She heard Kaidan's shuffling feet join her a while later. "I am sorry," he said quietly, placing a warm hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have anything to apologize about," she said.

"I love you Rachael," he said, putting his other hand on her shoulder. "Things don't have to be so crazy with us. You don't have to prove anything to me."

She let out a heavy sigh, not wanting to admit to him that sex was how she knew how to love. If she tried her hardest not to connect to him emotionally, she wouldn't feel his loss as much. "I just," she finally started out before burying her face in his hands.

"It's alright," he ran his hand down her back. "We don't have to talk about it right now. Just come back to bed so you don't get bitten by all the insects out here." She followed him inside and lay close to his body. Her thoughts were still worrisome but she managed to fall asleep.

They spent their last half of a day in bed, cuddling or making love in a lazy, drawn out manner. They didn't talk much, especially not about their previous fight and enjoyed each others' company. As they heard the hover boat nearing the island, they packed up quickly. Shepard snapped a picture of them on the beach on her omni-tool as the stewards packed up their bags.

They returned back to spaceport, Kaidan having taken some preemptive medication for the bumpy boat ride. Shepard was sad to leave Earth, but ready to get back to work. They arrived at the Citadel shuttle port late in the evening, both utterly exhausted. It was busy with a constant stream of people still trying to get off the station.

Shepard and Kaidan walked together, weaving their way around the throngs of people waiting for flights out. "Commander Shepard?" someone suddenly called from behind them. Shepard recognized the voice immediately and became nervous standing next to Kaidan.

"Admiral Hackett?" Shepard turned around, greeting the Admiral she only knew by voice.  
>"You recognized my voice?" Hackett laughed slightly. Shepard nodded and saluted him.<p>

"All the Normandy crew is returning from leave. I just ran into my Lieutenant, Kaidan Alenko," Shepard lied.

"Lieutenant, I have heard much about you," Hackett replied as Kaidan saluted.

"Only good things I assume, sir," Kaidan smiled slightly.

"Of course," Hackett nodded. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you Shepard, not just for what you did for the Citadel. You are a treasure to the Alliance as well. I appreciate your help during your investigation into Saren."

"Not a problem, sir," Shepard smiled.

"It is lucky you have gotten back now," Hackett continued. "As you can see, the Citadel is in a panic. Everyone is afraid of another Geth attack. No one can get a flight out for weeks."

"The Geth are the least of their worries," Shepard said.

"Yes, I read your report about the Reapers. It seems both the Alliance and the Citadel are trying to downplay the fact. We don't want an even bigger panic on our hands."

"I will do what is necessary to protect the galaxy," Shepard replied.

"Good luck," Hackett said, taking his leave of them.

Shepard and Kaidan continued through the spaceport, keeping a further distance from each other. They headed over to the Presidium to try and find out any news. Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina were both working late in the embassy. "I am glad you are back Commander," Anderson said, looking curiously at Kaidan. "You didn't leave any contact information. I am sure you can see you are needed badly."

"I wanted a real vacation this time, no interruptions. I ran into Lieutenant Alenko in the spaceport and he told me I should head over," Shepard lied again.

"This attack has sent fears across the entire galaxy. Every fleet has seen heavy losses. People are scared and they want some sort of reassurance," Udina interrupted.

"The Council is ready to appoint a human councillor to join them, then we need to form a plan of action," Anderson added.

"I am ready to go as soon as they figure out what to do next," Shepard replied.  
>"The Council wants to meet with you as soon as possible. I will set something up first thing in the morning," Udina added.<p>

"Fine," Shepard said, heading out of the office. "Lieutenant Alenko, make sure the crew is back on board tomorrow," she added within earshot of the Captain and Ambassador. She wanted to waylay any "we are together" vibes for their own good.

"Looks like we will be back at it already," Kaidan said, walking beside her.

"It had to happen," she sighed. "Last night of freedom."

"Do you think it will be awkward going back in? This week was, intense," he paused.

"We'll try our best," she smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

He headed back to her apartment with her and they spent their last night together curled up on the sofa watching vids. She could barely keep her eyes open but wanted be near to Kaidan for as long as possible. She knew it would be strange going back to normal. She also knew she would be climbing up the walls without normal sexual access to him. She began formulating secret rendezvous they could have and how to downplay that fact that they were pretty much in a relationship with each other. She fell asleep during her fantasies and Kaidan carried her to bed eventually.


	49. An Empty Ship

Shepard woke up wondering what the Council would have to say. She hoped they would at least be cooperative in her effort to take down the Reapers. She rolled over and looked at Kaidan, still asleep. She didn't want to wake him and carefully slid her legs from under the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed. She felt Kaidan's hand on the small of her back and found that she had woken him regardless. "Hey," he smiled at her, his eyes still sleepy.

"Good morning," she turned back and leaned down to kiss him.

"I guess I should be getting back to the Normandy," he added. "I wouldn't want the Captain to get mad at me for being late."

"It's back to being superior and subordinate," she sighed with a frown.

"I am sure going to miss this," he smiled. "You've been spoiling me."

"We can still have some of it, right?" she grinned.

"I don't know," he replied seriously. "We obviously can't go back to how things were before but there are still regs."

"I know," Shepard buried her face in his chest.

"Come on," Kaidan pulled her up with a laugh. "Let's see what the Council has to say at least."

Kaidan showered as Shepard checked her electronic mail. It was full with over a million messages from well wishers, death threats, and promotional offers. Shepard deleted them all without reading them and headed for the bathroom just as Kaidan was stepping out of the shower. "You aren't making things easier," she said, as he reached for a towel to cover his dripping body.

He only smiled at her and dried off as she stepped into the shower. "Do you want breakfast?" he asked over the cascade of water from the shower.

"What?" she asked, lathering her long hair with shampoo.

"Breakfast?" he asked again, opening the shower door.

"Sure," she smiled, pulling him inside for a kiss.

"I meant food," he said as she shut the door behind him. She quieted him with another kiss and slid her wet body against his. He finally gave into her wants and pressed her against the wall. They shared their last hour of freedom together before Shepard headed to the council chambers and Kaidan returned to the Normandy.

The Council didn't seem anymore grateful for what Shepard had done and just wanted to put aside their mutual differences for now. They were eager for her to get back to work. "The entire breadth of Council space is in a panic. They need to feel safe from Geth attack," the Turian Councillor said.

"The Geth don't matter any more. The Reapers are the real threat," Shepard replied.

"Regardless of what you believe," the Asari Councillor tried to steer the conversation away from the Reapers. "We would like you to investigate any further Geth activity in an effort to assuage the fears of many."

"We will leave today then," Shepard replied, seeing that she would get little else from them.

She returned to her apartment and grabbed the rest of her things before heading to the Normandy. Kaidan sat at the mess table, finally able to eat breakfast. She grabbed some food and sat down across from him.

"We are headed out?" he asked.

"They want us to patrol for any remaining Geth forces. They could send anyone to do it. I think they just want us out of the way," she replied unhappily.

"What about the Reapers?" he asked.

"We are just going to have to do what we can ourselves. I also heard Admiral Kahoku has disappeared. I wonder if Cerberus or Exo-Geni are involved?" she mused.

"Maybe we should look into it. The last thing we need is a pro-human terrorist group making all our progress for nothing," he replied.

"How much of the crew is back on board?" Shepard asked.

"Nearly everyone. Tali wanted to speak with you downstairs when you arrived," he added.

Shepard finished breakfast and headed down to engineering to speak with Tali. "Shepard," Tali waved.

"Ready to head out?" Shepard asked.

"Actually Shepard, that is what I wanted to talk about," Tali replied shyly.

"What's up?" Shepard asked, sitting down.

"Now that Saren is dead, I thought it was time I returned to the flotilla. With the Geth data you gave me, I should be able to gain a place on one of the best ships. My people may finally be able to return to our homeworld thanks to you."

"Oh," Shepard said, slightly surprised. She always knew Tali would leave eventually, but she had hoped she'd stay while they took out the straggling patches of Geth.

"You aren't mad?" Tali asked apologetically.

"No. I expected this," Shepard said. "Good luck Tali," she added, patting Tali on the arm.

"I've already said goodbye to the rest of the crew. I hope Garrus will be okay," Tali added.

Shepard chuckled slightly and wondered what sort of display Garrus had put on for the Quarian. He'd continued trying to court her, but with no apparent success. Shepard didn't understand the Turian fetish for Quarians, but would miss Tali nonetheless. She gave Tali a warm hug and saw her off to the elevator.

Shepard looked around the empty cargo bay with a sigh. They still hadn't acquired a replacement for the Mako and Wrex's normal haunt was empty, his carved statuettes missing save one. Shepard picked it up and examined it. It was a small figure of herself, sniper rifle poised to take a shot. "Did you see Wrex this morning?" Shepard asked the requisitions officer.

"He packed up and left this morning," he replied.

Shepard had expected at least a goodbye, but his little trinket served its purpose. She wondered what he'd do now and tucked the carving into her pocket. It felt a little lonely downstairs, so she returned up to the crew deck. Shepard went up to show Kaidan the carving. "The place won't feel the same," he said, looking at the statuette. "Now it is just Garrus and Liara."

"Maybe we can pick some more aliens up along the way," she laughed.

She returned to her cabin and put the little statue on top of her weapons locker. She thought it was a fitting place for it. She looked over the recent reports of Geth sightings and set a course for the most likely area to run into them. She walked through the ship for a while, seeing the shore leave's affect on the crew. They were happy but ready to get back to work. Shepard stopped by the med bay to see Liara and Dr. Chakwas. "How was your leave Doc?" Shepard asked.

"I spent an entire week lounged in bed," Dr. Chakwas smiled.

"Who joined you?" Shepard laughed.

"No one at my age," Chakwas laughed. "I suspect you didn't spend your leave alone? Kaidan seems more cheery," she added with a devious grin.

"Oh Janet, I don't know what I have gotten myself into," Shepard beamed.

"You must have had quite the week with his promotion and birthday?" Chakwas asked.

"What?" Shepard wondered.

"Yesterday was his birthday and he was promoted earlier in the week," Chakwas answered.

"He didn't mention anything," Shepard replied.

"That's the Lieutenant for you. Never wants to make a fuss about something."

"Oh, I'll make a fuss alright," Shepard grinned, the wheels in her mind already turning. 


	50. Bad Lieutenant

The Normandy headed to the Arcturus Station to change out some of the crew that were due for reassignment and to pick up a replacement for the Mako. Shepard managed to get a bigger and better model and already made plans for its christening. As the Normandy headed back into space, Shepard ordered Kaidan down to the new tank, the Javelina.

She sat in the gunner's seat, stark naked and with a birthday gift hidden under the chair. She waited patiently for Kaidan to come down to inspect the apparent malfunction she'd made up. She heard him tinkering outside and wondered when he would come inside. "Any minute now," she said to herself in an annoyed tone after sitting in the chair for fifteen minutes.

The hatch finally opened and Kaidan climbed inside with his tools without noticing Shepard. "Ahem," she cleared her throat quietly.

"Shepard, what are you doing in here and, naked?" he blushed, hurriedly closing the door.

"Happy birthday and promotion!" she laughed nervously.

"We are on duty Shepard. What if I had sent someone else down here?" he chastised her.

"I would have been angry that you didn't follow orders," she replied defensively. "I was just trying to surprise you."

"Look, I am sorry I snapped at you. But we are supposed to be professional while on duty right?" he knelt in front of her.

"I know," she frowned. "But I am hooked on you and need to ease off slowly."

"Shepard," he laughed slightly. "You are very strange," he took her hands in his.

"I know it is unprofessional of me, but not seeing you for a few days has been driving me crazy. How I am supposed to get my work done?"

"Now you are over-exaggerating," he smiled. "It hasn't been easy for me as well, but I have managed."

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday or that you'd been promoted?" she asked.

"I guess it just slipped my mind. I don't really bother with those sort of things," he replied.

"Why not?" she asked. "I know we both didn't have great lives growing up, but birthdays were always fun."

"I didn't celebrate any of them when I was at Jump Zero and my father was never much for parties," he replied, sitting down on the floor in front of her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay," he added, stroking her leg.

"I got you a present regardless," she reached under the chair. She pulled out an illustrated hard copy of an old sci-fi novel Kaidan had mentioned. It was pretty rare and she was glad she had the credits to buy him such an extravagant gift.

"How did you get this?" he asked, flipping open the old book, its pages smelling of their age.

"I have connections," she grinned.

"It's wonderful, Shepard," he smiled.

He pulled her down to the floor to kiss her and she climbed on top of him. "We've got to do something about this Shepard," he kissed her.

"Just one more time, she replied, pulling at his shirt. "And maybe if you spent the night once in a while. I like sleeping next to you."

He sat her up and put his hands on her face. "I'll spend the night if you agree that we can't do any of this on duty stuff anymore," he suggested.

"Okay," she finally conceded. "I will be a good captain," she paused. "Tomorrow," she added, going for his belt.

She got his pants undone quickly and tried to managed their bodies in the cramped environment.  
>They made quick work of investigating the inside of the tank and slipped out carefully after they had both dressed. Shepard returned to her cabin to shower. Her face smelled heavily of the new leather seat Kaidan had pressed her down on and she had scraped her knee of the hard metal floor.<br>She knew she wouldn't be satisfied but her feelings for Kaidan grew each day.

As much as she wanted to keep teasing Kaidan, she knew it bothered him and that she needed to be more professional. It grew harder to stave off her boredom as they continued their tedious work driving out the remaining patches of Geth. Kaidan would spend the night on occasion and try to ease her frustrations with the mission. They talked in bed most of those nights and grew even closer as the weeks passed. 


	51. Cerberus' Crimes

They tracked the Geth for nearly a month, finding only small bands of stragglers. Shepard was growing weary of the assignment and had begun an investigation into Admiral Kahoku's disappearance. She found a data trail that led her to the planet Binthu.

She headed to the surface with Garrus and Kaidan, getting the chance to put the Javelina through its paces. Shepard could actually handle the controls and relished driving it along the rolling hills of the planet's surface. They had spotted several research pods overhead and searched them when they landed. The pods were armed with motion sensing turrets.

The bases themselves were filled with heavily armed commandos. Shepard and her team fought hard and managed to clear two bases, finding remanents of more Creeper and Rachni research in each pod. They headed to the third base expecting the worst. Shepard was surprised to find the base already under attack. They passed several dead guards and followed the trail to a back room, where a man was holding a gun to the remaining scientist's head. "Who the hell are you?" Shepard asked, pointing her gun at him cautiously.

"Who are you?" the man shouted, pointed his gun back at Shepard.

"We came here for Cerberus," Shepard said. "Put your gun down."

"No, they have to pay for what they've done," the man insisted.

"Why are you here? Who are you?" Shepard asked.

"My name is Toombs. I was in the Alliance a few years back. These bastards lured my squad right into a thresher maw nest. I was the only one that survived the attack. Then they took me for study. They put thresher maw acid in my veins. They wanted to see what it would do."

"That sounds like what happened with Kahoku's men," Garrus added.

"Yeah, he is dead in the other room. He was dead when I got here. Who knows what these bastards did to him!" Toombs said, pressing the gun to the scientist's head.

"What? Kahoku is dead?" Kaidan asked.

"Yeah," Toombs replied.

"I need you to testify about what they have done. I want to stop them," Shepard tried to calm him.

"But what about him?" Toombs said angrily, pointing the gun at the scientist.

"Shooting him isn't going to solve anything," Kaidan replied.

"But it will make me feel better," Toombs replied, shooting the scientist.

He didn't seem to care that Shepard and her team now had their guns pointed at him. "I don't want anymore blood spilled. We are going to check on Kahoku then I want you to come on board so we can get you to an Alliance relief office," Shepard hesitantly lowered her gun. "We are going to get you some help and justice for your fellow marines, I promise," she added.

Kaidan and Garrus followed her out silently. They found Kahoku's body inside a containment cell. He didn't have any serious injuries but was dead nonetheless. Shepard radioed the Normandy to send down two men to bring the body back up. Toombs met them outside, a slight relief on his face. They returned to the Normandy and went immediately to the med bay to see what Dr. Chakwas could determine from Kahoku's body. Toombs was sedated and placed in isolation for his own good until an Alliance rep could take possession of him.

"It looks like they injected him with something," Chakwas replied, showing them a small puncture wound on his neck. "It really did a number on all his internal systems. I can't imagine anything more painful."

"We've got to stop these bastards," Kaidan said angrily.

"If we can get Toombs some help, hopefully he can testify. I am going to contact the Alliance right now," Shepard excused herself.

Shepard returned to her cabin and filed another report on Cerberus and requested a rendezvous with another ship that could take Toombs to the Alliance Veteran Affairs Office. She looked over more incoming reports about the Geth and charted a course for the Amada system. Several ships had gone missing in the area and Shepard hoped to find out the source.

They rendezvous with a small frigate that took Toombs on board and saw to Admiral Kahoku's burial. The Alliance made no response to Shepard's inquiries about Cerberus. The Normandy scanned the Amada system for several days with little clues regarding the mission ships. Shepard wasn't hopeful and was ready to continue her search elsewhere. 


	52. Death

Shepard woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, jarred out of bed by a loud alarm. Kaidan had not spent the night and she was alone in her cabin. She sprung out of the bed and looked at her terminal. She could see that the kinetic barriers were already damaged so she quickly pulled on her armor. She ran quickly to the main battery and brought up a total damage report. "What the hell is going on Joker?" Shepard radioed.

"A ship came out of nowhere and started firing on us. No idea who they are," Joker yelled back.

The ship bowed as Joker tried to maneuver them away from the pursuing ship's fire. "What do you mean? Is it Geth, Batarian, what?" Shepard held onto the railing.

Joker didn't answer and she heard the ship's hull being torn apart by the enemy's weapon. Shepard tried shifting energy from non-essential functions to the kinetic shields. It did little good, but bought a little more time. Smoke had begun to fill the crew deck, so she brought up her breather mask and continued rerouting power.

"Commander!" Kaidan called from behind her.

"What the hell are you wearing?" she asked, staring at his bright Phoenix armor.

"It was the closest one on hand," Kaidan replied. "What is going on? Who is attacking us?"

"Unknown," Shepard looked at the hull integrity. "We've got to abandon ship. The hull isn't going to hold even if we can get away from the enemy ship."

"Let's go then," Kaidan grabbed her arm.

"I'll be there in a minute," Shepard replied, turning back to the console. "I want you to clear this deck and get to the shuttle."

"I am not leaving you," he replied. "Besides, Joker is still in the cockpit."

"I want to make sure you are safe," Shepard turned around. "I'll get Joker."

"Are you sure?" he asked, touching her arm slightly.

"That's an order," she smiled under her mask, gripping his shoulder.

He squeezed her arm and nodded, running off to help crew to the shuttles. She was rocked by an small explosion near the sleeper pods, but kept her footing. She headed towards the bridge, dodging fires and debris in the mess hall. As she climbed up the steps, she found the doors to the navigation deck sealed off. "Open the doors," Shepard called to the ship's VI.

"Bridge pressure is currently unstable. Kinetic barriers at zero percent," the VI answered.

"Override the containment," Shepard ordered "Activate the magnetic dampeners."

Shepard felt her boots lock to the metal floor as the doors groaned open. She could feel the lack of gravity on her body. She walked carefully towards the CIC console that was in ruins. A large gash in the hull revealed the emptiness around them. She could see the edge of the planet they were about to investigate looming above her. There was no sign of the enemy ship as far as she could see. She continued on towards the cockpit, seeing that the kinetic barriers were holding. "Move your ass, Joker!" Shepard said, stepping through the barrier.

"Just give me more time. I can still save the ship," Joker yelled, trying to reroute power furiously.

"Its gone," Shepard said. "And if we don't leave now, so will we."

"Fine, fine, help me up," Joker said.

Shepard grabbed him by the arm as he yelped in pain. "Quit being such a wuss," Shepard laughed. "It is going to hurt a hell of a lot more if we get blown up."

She helped him over to the shuttle next to the docking door. As she was about to step inside, the ship pitched and she stumbled backwards as the cockpit exploded. She caught her hand on the wall but felt her grip loosening as her body was being pulled away. "Commander!" Joker yelled, reaching out for her.

She couldn't hold on for long, so she pulled her pistol from her hip and shot the door release controls, sealing the shuttle doors. Her aching hand slipped off the wall and she flew backwards out of the ship's hull into the void of space. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she thought to herself as she floated over the wreckage. She finally saw the enormous enemy ship, circling around for another firing run.

She looked around for anything she could cling to until she could be rescued. The air in her suit tasted bad and she looked down at her omni-tool. There was a breach in her oxygen pack. "No, no, no," she said aloud, trying to reach back towards the pack. As she panicked for air, her lungs ached and she grew lightheaded. Her vision narrowed as she gazed over the ruined ship. "Well, this is it," she thought to herself, as her consciousness began to fade. "This is how I am going to die."

Shepard had always envisioned a painful death in the heat of battle, not choking for oxygen in the darkness of space. She tried to hold on as long as she could, watching the last fires on the Normandy die without oxygen as well. She thought she heard Kaidan's voice but was just hallucinating. He was her last thought as she fell into unconsciousness. 


	53. Rebirth

'What a shitty way to die,' was the first thought the entered Shepard's head when she came back into consciousness. She wondered why she wasn't dead yet and tried to open her eyes. Even the slightest movement of her eyelids caused her incredible pain. Her awareness was hazy but she still felt panicked, remembering that her oxygen tank had ruptured. She saw people around her and guessed she was hallucinating again. Their voices urged her to hold still as she struggled to move. She felt the burning of medication being slipped into her veins and fell back into unconsciousness.

She was jarred awake suddenly by a woman shouting her name. "Shepard!" a woman's voice called to her.

"What?" Shepard asked, opening her eyes, which pained in the light. She sat up holding her aching body and looked around the unfamiliar room.

"You need to get up," the woman replied.

"What the hell is going on? Where am I?" Shepard asked. She held the light sheet across her breasts and slid her legs towards the floor. As she stood up, she felt like she was about to fall over. She gripped the lip of the table tightly to steady herself. "I can't walk. What the hell am I doing in this room?" Shepard wondered to herself.

"You need to get moving," the woman answered.

"I can't go anywhere in a sheet," Shepard snapped.

"Your armor should be in the locker nearby."

Shepard stumbled towards the large group of lockers slowly, regaining her balance with each step. She opened the first locker and found a suit of heavy N7 armor inside. "This isn't mine," Shepard said aloud. She always wore a medium armor and hated putting it on without any under clothes.

"What is happening? What is with the alarms? What happened to the Normandy?" Shepard asked, snapping the armor in place.

"There is no time to explain. Some one is trying to kill you. You need to find a weapon of some sort," the voice commanded.

"Where?" Shepard looked around. She cautiously opened a door and found the body of a man on the ground. She grabbed the pistol latched to his side. She looked at the gun, but it was an unfamiliar design. It had a clip chamber and no mechanism for an unlimited ammo power cell.

"There's no power cell for this pistol?" Shepard asked.

"It is a new design. These weapons take thermal clips. They allow for more damage than conventional heat rounds," the voice answered

"Who'se fucking bright idea was that?" Shepard grumbled as she patted down the body and found a small clip. She slide it into the compartment and the gun powered on automatically. "You need to move towards the shuttle bay. Head to your right and up the stairs," the voice added.

Shepard moved out of the room, the blaring alarms giving her a headache. "Watch out!" the voice called as Shepard heard sounds nearby. "Security mechs are headed towards you," the voice added.

Shepard ducked into cover as the mech headed down the stairs towards her. She quickly shot it down and climbed up the stairs cautiously. She could hear the sound of more mechs on the way and quickly ducked behind a crate. Her mind was utterly confused but the pure instinct of her special ops training had kicked in.

She passed a large group of bodies and stopped to look over them. They all bore the same unfamiliar symbol on their clothing. "This isn't an Alliance operation," she thought to herself. She found more thermal clips on the bodies and stashed them in a pouch on her suit. She headed forward, seeing a giant mech shooting several fleeing humans. "These people are being slaughtered, they need some help," Shepard called to the voice on the intercom.

"Getting you out of here is the most important thing. Everyone else is expendable," the voice replied.

"That's bullshit. If you aren't going to help them, I will," Shepard said, trying to get the locked doors open.

"You can help them more by getting to safety," the voice replied. "Go to your right again. You should see an elevator. Take it down one floor."

Shepard kicked the sealed doors and entered the room that overlooked a long platform. She could hear more mechs on the way and grabbed the large weapon laying at a dead man's side. "This is what I am talking about!" she said aloud, picking up the large grenade launcher. It only had three rounds left but Shepard figured it would come in handy. She strapped the bulky gun to her back and headed down the elevator.

She found a large group of mechs in her way and took the opportunity to use the heavy weapon. The mechs were shattered by the blast, leaving a large smoking crater that Shepard hopped over. "Where to now?" Shepard asked.

"Go to the," the voice replied as it started to break up.

"What?" Shepard asked again. She got no response back from the mysterious voice.

"Shit!" she said aloud, turning down a random hallway. She opened a door but only found a small office. Shepard looked around and found a lot of files on something called Project Lazarus. It sounded like a large medical experiment, but Shepard couldn't determine its purpose. She proceeded on, hearing gunfire in the distance. She followed the sound, finding a man cornered by several mechs. "Hey!" Shepard called. "I haven't seen anyone else alive in this place. What the hell is going on?"

"Shepard?" the man asked.

"Do I know you?" Shepard asked.

"No, I, uh," he paused. "What are you doing awake?"

"I don't know. Some woman was telling me where to go, then I lost contact with her."

"It must be Miranda," the man replied. "My name is Jacob Taylor. I've been stationed here for," he added before a shot interrupted him.

More mechs had closed in and began shooting at them. Shepard fired at them as Jacob sent the other mech flying into the wall. "You are a biotic?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah, but nothing like you. They gave you a state of the art implant," Jacob replied.

"What are you talking about? I never had an implant."

"Never mind, we need to keep moving. We need to clear out these mechs."

"I want to know what is going on!" Shepard insisted.

"Okay. I will give you the quick and ugly version. Your ship was attacked and you were killed. We've spent two years putting you back together," he answered.

"Killed? I remember the attack, but how can it be two years later?" Shepard asked. "How could you bring me back to life?"

"I don't know too much about the medical details. That is Miranda's field. The Alliance declared you dead. No one else knows you are alive."

"What happened to everyone else? The rest of the crew?" Shepard wondered, her mind coming suddenly back to Kaidan.

"Almost everyone else survived. There were a few servicemen on the lower decks that didn't get out."

"How did I end up here? Where is here?"

"This is a research station. I don't know many more details about how you got here. Again, that is Miranda's field. I am just head of security."

"And the mechs attacking?"

"I don't know. Some one has hacked their controls. Some sort of sabotage job. Who knows?"

"I feel, different," she said hesitantly, feeling a strangeness in her body. "What did you do to me?"

"The details are with the scientists that rebuilt you. Project Lazarus was funded to bring you back. I only know it cost a fortune to bring you back."

Shepard's head was pounding. She rubbed her hand over her face. "Do you fucking know anything?" she snapped, her eyes unfocusing for a moment.

"Are you alright?" Jacob asked. "I am sure am sure this is a lot to take in."

"You are telling me," she shook her head. "The woman, Miranda, told me to head for the shuttles. Where are those?"

"This way," Jacob said, moving forward.

"Hello, hello?" a male voice called on her suit radio.

"Wilson?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob, what the hell is going on?" Wilson asked.

"I am here with Shepard, we are near the elevators," Jacob replied.

"What? Shepard? Uh, where are you?" Wilson asked, his voice faltering slightly.

"The elevators," Jacob replied again. "We are headed towards the shuttle bay."

"You'll have to use the service tunnels. Everywhere else is blocked," Wilson replied.

"Come on, let's go," Jacob motioned.

Shepard followed him through another set of doors and into a small tunnel. A large group of mechs was waiting for them. Shepard dove towards a set of pipes. "Is this asshole trying to get us killed?" Shepard yelled, a shot ringing off the pipe next to her.

"Use your biotics!" Jacob yelled, tossing a few in the group aside.

Shepard could feel the familiar tingle in her body, but it felt stronger and more in control. She slammed one of the mechs up towards the ceiling, letting it smash down onto another below. "What the hell?" Shepard thought to herself, looking at her own glowing hand. She had never had any control of her biotics before.

"Wilson, this area is blocked too! Is there another way out?" Jacob asked.

"Keep moving," Wilson said. "I am doing the best I, oh no, the mechs have found me. I don't think I am going to," Wilson said before being cut off.

"Shit," Jacob yelled "Wilson, come in."

"I'm in Server Room B, please help," Wilson called among the static.

"That is nearby, we need to try and save him," Jacob said.

Shepard followed Jacob down a few hallways and into the server room where they found Wilson on the floor. He had only been shot in the foot but was acting like he was near death. Shepard recognized his face. He was one of the people she saw standing over her when she had first woken up. "You?" Shepard said, looking at his face. "I remember you."

"I should think so," Wilson replied. "I've been putting you back together for two years."

"This wound doesn't look too bad," Jacob said, looking at his foot. "Can you walk?"

"Are you a doctor?" Wilson snarled. "I've been shot."

"There should be some medi-gel in here," Jacob said, rummaging through some crates.

Shepard looked around the small room for a medi-gel pack. There were several bodies on the floor with single gunshot wounds to the head. Shepard thought it was slightly strange, as the mechs seemed to fire relentlessly and without precision. Jacob found a medi-gel pack and placed one of the patches around the wound. Wilson got up tentatively with his help.

"We need to keep moving, find Miranda," Jacob said.

"She was in the D Wing. There was a whole squad of mechs over there. She is probably dead," Wilson replied.

"Until I know for sure, I am assuming she is alive," Jacob responded.

"Have you heard from her recently? Who do you think has the security clearance to hack all these mechs?" Wilson speculated.

"What the hell are you saying?" Jacob asked defensively.

"Come on Jacob, wake up! Do you really think anyone else could be behind this?" Wilson asked.

"Who cares?" Shepard interrupted. "We need to get out of here!"

"Fine, we will head for the shuttles. Hope for the best," Jacob said, eyeing Wilson suspiciously.

They passed a wall with the same symbol she had seen emblazoned on the dead crew's uniforms and painted all over the station. It suddenly seemed familiar to her. "This symbol, I've have seen it before," Shepard said, looking up at the wall.

"Yeah, I am imagine you have," Jacob replied.

"Shut up Jacob," Wilson added.

"Look, she is not going to trust us if she thinks we are keeping her in the dark," Jacob snapped back. "Shepard, this is a Cerberus facility. They are the ones that brought you back."

"What? The terrorist organization? You killed a lot of Alliance marines and a high ranking Admiral. You were experimenting on humans," Shepard said, taking a step back and clutching her pistol a little tighter.

"I don't know anything about those other cells," Jacob replied. "The Illusive Man would have more answers."

"Who is that?" Shepard asked.

"He is the one in charge. The one who funded this project," Wilson replied.

"I know this is hard to hear Shepard, but we need to get out of here. I want to make sure you trust me," Jacob added.

"Like hell I do, but I just want to get out of this place alive. I need answers," she replied.

"You'll get all the answers you want once we are off this station," Jacob said.

"Fine," Shepard said. "Let's get to the shuttles," she added, eyeing the two men suspiciously.

She followed Jacob and Wilson out, keeping her gun gripped tightly in her hand. They proceeded on, seeing the shuttle bay ahead. As Wilson opened the door, the other figure Shepard had seen over her, appeared in the doorway. "Miranda?" Wilson said, before the woman shot him point blank in the chest.

"What the hell are you doing Miranda?" Jacob asked.

"I am here to keep Shepard safe. Wilson betrayed us," Miranda replied.

"Why?" Shepard asked. "You could've waited to question him. You didn't have to shoot him."

"Didn't I?" Miranda grinned slightly. "I couldn't risk you ending up dead."

"Why would Wilson do this?" Jacob asked.

"I don't know and I don't care," Miranda said coldly. "The problem is solved. We need to get out of here."

"This station is enormous. There has to be more crew here. We can't just leave them," Shepard said.

"If they aren't here already, they never will be," Miranda added.

"Typical Cerberus attitude," Shepard replied angrily, her finger poised on her trigger.

"Jacob, how did I know you couldn't keep your mouth shut for more than five minutes?" Miranda asked.

"She needed to know what was going on," Jacob replied, narrowing his eyes at Miranda. "Lying to her is no way of getting her to help us."

"Fine," Miranda smirked. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

Shepard sensed more than a bit of tension between them. They acted like spurned lovers, duking it out to see who could get the better jab in. "What the hell do you want with me?" Shepard asked. "You had to know I would never help you?"

"You should ask the Illusive Man when you see him. He funded this project," Miranda replied.

"Everyone else has the answers. That is all I have heard all day," Shepard sneered.

"Let's go," Miranda replied. "This is the only way off. You can decide what you want to do once we reach the Minuteman Station."

Shepard followed Miranda into the shuttle bay, keeping her gun closely at her side. She wouldn't hesitate to kill them both. They boarded the shuttle which flew on autopilot. Shepard sat watching the two Cerberus operative suspiciously. "I have a few questions," Miranda said, breaking the silence.

"What makes you think I will answer?" Shepard replied defensively.

"I just want to test your memory and cognitive abilities," Miranda sneered back.

"You want me to recall my childhood or perform some complex mathematical equations?" Shepard asked.

"No, just a few simple questions will do," Miranda smirked and nodded at Jacob. He asked her a few simple questions about her past. She knew the answers but replied with little details. Cerberus had apparently gained a lot of intel on her. When they brought up Kaidan, her stomach dropped. She brushed off the question and closed her eyes, her thoughts angry. "What the hell is Cerberus up to?" she wondered to herself. She wanted to know everything that had happened in the last two years, especially with Kaidan. 


	54. The Head of Cerberus

Shepard fell asleep and awoke when she felt the shuttle starting to dock. She chastised herself for falling asleep in enemy ranks, even if she felt horrible. She followed the two Cerberus operatives inside the looming station with a suspicious eye. "The Illusive Man is waiting to speak with you," Miranda motioned towards a hallway. Shepard walked down the stairs and found an empty room with a glowing ring in the middle. She approached the ring cautiously, seeing a holographic interface on the floor. A man sitting in a chair appeared before her.

"Commander Shepard," the man replied.

"I assume you are the Illusive Man?" Shepard replied.

"I am," he replied. "I see my reputation precedes me."

"Spare me the bullshit and tell me what the hell do you want with me?" she asked.

"You and I both know that there is something out there worse than the Geth," he replied.

"The Reapers?" Shepard frowned.

"Exactly. Humanity has never faced any enemy like this before. A thousand times worse than the Turians."

"The Reapers are stuck in dark space. What could they be doing that made you spend billions of credits to bring me back from the dead?"

"I suspect the Reapers are using agents again, something similar to how they used Saren. These agents are abducting entire human colonies. Wiping them off the map."

"Why are they doing this? What is the point of destroying human colonies? They want to harvest the entire galaxy."

"Not destroying, abducting. There are no signs of casualties on the colonies, everyone just disappears."

"How many colonies?" Shepard wondered.

"More than ten. They've taken tens of thousands of colonists. They are targeting small and remote colonies."

"So what is your concern? The Alliance should be able to handle things. You don't seem to care much about saving innocent lives. If I remember correctly, I shut down quite a few of your radical human experiments."

"The Alliance is stretched thin. They are still rebuilding after the Citadel attack. You may have your suspicions about our organization, but we are pro-Humanity to our very core."

"Yeah, right," Shepard smirked.

"If you don't believe me, see for yourself. I have arranged for you to visit the most recent abduction site. The colony Freedom's Progress. You could be there in less than a day," he added.

"You've set all this up. Spent all this money and you think I will just jump when you say so," she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Just go to the colony. See for yourself. If you don't want to help then you are free to leave."

"You are just going to let a billion dollar investment walk away?" she half laughed.

"Once you go to the colony, you won't walk away. I am sure of it."

"They say overconfidence is the sign of a small man," she sneered.

"We can exchange insults another time, Commander," he smiled. "Time is of the essence. Go to the colony and see what you can find. We will talk again when you return."

The hologram disappeared, leaving Shepard alone in the quiet room. "This is just fucking great," she murmured to herself. Nothing had yet sunk in and her mind was still confused and tired. She found Miranda and Jacob waiting for her upstairs. "Are you ready to go Commander?" Miranda asked.

"Let's get this over with," Sherpard frowned.

She was exhausted, but the sooner she could get away from Cerberus, the better. They returned to the shuttle and took off towards Freedom's Progress. Shepard slept most of the way, her hand still resting close to her gun. Her dreams were a blur of all the she had just been told. There was an overwhelming amount of information passing with each thought. She woke up irritated and agitated.

It took another few hours for them to arrive on the colony. Shepard took a few bites of a ration bar and choked it down. She despised the taste and her stomach didn't seem to like it either. She figured she hadn't eaten solid food in two years. They landed softly on the planet and exited the shuttle cautiously. There was an eerie silence over the cold landscape, light snow falling from the sky.

They had landed in a large square that was surrounded by the pre-fabricated buildings common on upstart colonies. Shepard was disturbed by the quiet, remembering the bustling cities on Mindoir and Elysium. She could only hear the faint sounds of wind rustling along the small snow drifts. They entered one of the buildings, finding it completely intact. Old food sat on the tables, a vid screen was still on, though without a signal. "Just like before," Miranda said. "No damage, no signs of a struggle. It's like they all just got up and left."

Shepard could feel nausea welling up in her stomach. It was more than just the ration bar that was making her sick. She spied a small doll laying under one of the tables and picked it up. It looked similar to something she had as a child. "What the fuck is going on here?" she murmured to herself. She set the doll down when she heard a noise outside. She drew her gun and left the building cautiously.

"It is just security mechs, a lot of the colonies use them for protection," Miranda said without concern.

As soon as the mechs spotted them, they began firing on their position. "What the hell is going on?" Jacob yelled, falling into cover.

"They should've have recognized us a human and not a threat," Miranda said.

"Obviously not," Shepard yelled, firing at the mechs as they reloaded.

The mechs were unorganized and went down easily. Miranda examined the mechanical pieces after they had fallen. "It looks like someone reprogrammed them to attack anything that moved," Miranda said, scanning a data module with her omni-tool.

"Why?" Shepard asked.

"Who knows?" Miranda replied. "But that means we are not alone."

They proceed on towards another building but found it surprisingly occupied. "Who is in there?" Shepard called out from beyond the door. She was poised to fire, her muscles anxious and ready.

"It's Cerberus, get ready to fire," one of the men called.

"Hold on, I'm Commander Shepard, not Cerberus," Shepard called out, recognizing the thick Quarian dialect. "What the hell are you doing outside the flotilla?"

"Wait!" a voice called out. "Put down your weapons, we are coming out."

Shepard recognized the voice immediately. "Tali?" Shepard called, stepping into the doorway.

"Shepard? Is it really you? I heard you were dead," Tali replied, stepping out from behind a counter.  
>"What are you doing here Tali?" Shepard asked. "It is so strange running into you."<p>

"One of our people was here on Pilgrammage. His name was Veetor. We came to look for him," Tali replied.

"Why would he come here?" Shepard asked.

"He liked the idea of helping a small colony get on its feet. He never really liked crowds."

"I see," Shepard said. "And what about the mechs? Did they come with you?"

"No, I think Veetor programmed them to shoot on site."

"He is still alive then?"

"Yes, we saw him as we landed. He ran into a nearby warehouse."

"He must know what happened here. We need to talk to him."

"There are a lot of mechs around the warehouse. We need to form two teams to try and get around them."

Tali spoke with authority, which surprised Shepard. She had been so meek and quiet on the Normandy. Shepard wondered what had happened in the last two years, though it seemed like only days since she had said goodbye to Tali.

"Let's move out!" Shepard said.

The rest of the Quarians seemed to grumble in their own language before Tali chastised them. "Are we going to have a problem?" Shepard asked, as the rest of the Quarians moved out.

"I don't think so," Tali replied. "Prazza is hot headed but he usually follows orders."

The Quarians went east and Shepard and her team headed west. They moved throughout the buildings, finding a few security drones guarding the way. As they neared a small plaza, Tali radioed them. "Shepard, Prazza and his squad rushed ahead. They don't want you talking to Veetor first. They were ambushed by a heavy mech. They don't stand a chance."

"Let's go," Shepard said, doubling back and heading towards the plaza. They found the heavy mech blasting the Quarians with its turret cannon. It fired a rocket into a set of crates, sending a few of the Quarians over the railing.

"Fuck!" Shepard ducked, looking at the heavily plated machine. She still had the grenade launcher on her suit, but only had a single shell. She ordered Miranda and Jacob to provide distraction and aimed carefully at the mech, firing at its most vulnerable point. Not even the grenade could take it out completely, as it continued firing on her squad and the remaining Quarians.

The mech continued pelting them with rocket blasts and turret fire. It finally fell after a barrage of bullets, leaving most of the Quarians dead or heavily wounded. Shepard checked in with Tali who was doing as much as she could for the wounded. "Veetor is over there, in that building," she motioned.

Shepard approached the building cautiously, not knowing what to expect inside. The nervous Quarian sat at a large security panel, typing furiously at the console. "Veetor?" Shepard asked.

Veetor just kept babbling about something called 'swarms' and continued working on the console. "Hello!" Shepard yelled. "Back here!" The Quarian still did not respond. Shepard shook her head and fired a round into the ceiling. The gunfire startled him out of his apparent trance.

"You, you aren't one of the monsters?" he asked, standing cautiously up from the chair.

"No, I'm not. Tell me what happened here?" Shepard asked, softening her tone.

"Seeker swarms find everyone, freeze them. The monsters take them all away. Veetor hid. The monsters will come back for him," Veetor replied.

"Swarms? Monsters? What are you talking about?" Shepard asked.

Veetor turned around and changed the monitors to a recorded video feed. Shepard watched carefully, seeing a large swarm of insect-like creatures hovering over one of the buildings. A small group of alien creatures worked slowly, transporting large pods with hover depressors. "It looks like a Collector," Miranda replied, slight shock in her voice.

"Collectors? They are only a myth," Shepard said, recalling several articles she had read in a Xenobiology class long ago.

"Maybe not," Miranda said. "The profile fits."

"What profile? What the hell do you know?" Shepard asked suspiciously.

"Never mind, I am more worried about these seeker swarms," Miranda replied.

"They come, bite you, freeze you. The monsters take you away," Veetor responded.

"It sounds like they use some sort of paralyzing agent. That would explain why there are no signs of battle," Jacob added.  
>"I studied them. They are evil. Full of dark energy," Veetor said. "I have the data on my omni-tool."<p>

"Transfer it to me," Shepard said, activating her omni-tool.

"We need to take him back with us for questioning," Miranda said.

"Forget it!" Tali said, coming in from outside. "He is injured, he needs medical attention on the flotilla. And there is no way I am letting Cerberus take him."

"Tali is right," Shepard shot a warning glance at Miranda. "We have the data he has collected, that is good enough. You two go and see if you can help the Quarians. I need to speak with Tali."

Miranda and Jacob left, leaving Shepard and Tali alone. "It has been too long," Tali said, giving Shepard a hug. "What happened to you?"

"I don't even know. It doesn't seem like a long time to me. Our ship was attacked while we were searching for Geth. I guess I was dead for a while and then Cerberus apparently brought me back. They want me to look into this colonial attacks," Shepard replied.

"But why Cerberus? Why you?" Tali asked.

"I don't know," Shepard shook her head. "I planned on coming here and telling them to blow it out their ass, but seeing this, what has been done to the colonies. They were my home for so long."

"I remember you telling me about your home world," Tali added with sincerity in her voice. "So you are going to help them?"

"I still don't know. I can't sit by and let this continue. If the Alliance isn't doing anything," Shepard paused.

"Just don't trust anything Cerberus tells you," Tali replied. "I'll let you know what else we can find out. I will question Veetor personally and send any data your way."

"Be careful Tali," Shepard said. "I will be in touch."

The two women returned to the ruined plaza and met back up with their respective parties. "Call the shuttle," Shepard said, looking at Jacob. 


	55. Old Friends and New Ships

The shuttle landed near their location and they headed back towards the Minuteman Station. Shepard still felt sick and only took a few long swallows of water. She tried to sleep but her mind was racing. So many things had changed in a few short years, but time was collapsed for her. She wondered what else she had missed in the two years she was dead. She hadn't felt so anxious and depressed since after the attack on Elysium. She was slightly relieved to have run into an old friend so soon, however.

She didn't know if she could help a terrorist organization, but the mission pulled at her dedication to the colonies, her former home. When they arrived back at the station, Shepard went immediately to speak with the Illusive Man. "I'm glad you found what we are looking for. The Quarian's data confirmed my suspicions about the Collectors," he said.

"So you already knew about them?" Shepard shook her head. "And you sent me in anyway, to investigate," she added, putting the last word in air quotes.

"I wanted you to see what we are up against," he replied.

"But if the Collectors weren't attacking human colonies you wouldn't give a shit," she replied, putting her hands on her hips.

"My only concern is that this is happening now and it is happening exclusively to humans. You've seen what the Collectors are doing. It is obvious they are working for the Reapers. You must have gained their attention when you destroyed one of their own."

"So you think I have to finish what I started by working with you?"

"Like I said before, you are free to go. But I have a ship ready for you and one of the best pilots to go with it."

"Shepard!" Joker called from behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Shepard asked, turning around.

"Cerberus recruited me. They said they were bringing you back, so I signed up," he said, patting her on the shoulder.

"What if they were lying?" she wondered.

"I guess I never thought of that. So how have you been?" he asked casually.

"Dead. Where is everyone else? What the hell has happened in last two years?"

"A lot. Everything about the Reapers and Geth stirred up a lot of trouble. The Council just tried sweeping it under the rug like they did with Saren and I ended up getting grounded. When Cerberus told me they had a ship to fly, I said 'hell yes!'"

"You don't remember all the horrible experiments they were doing? How we were trying to take them down?"

"They showed me pictures of your body. Told me that they were bringing you back. I knew I had to be here when you woke up. You are the only one who can find out what is going on."

"What about everyone else? I heard most of the crew made it out alive," she wondered, hoping to get any information on Kaidan.

"We all just drifted apart after the Normandy was destroyed. I didn't really stay in touch with any one else," he replied. "Speaking of which, I think there is something you should see."

She followed him upstairs and down a long hallway towards a large hanger. Inside the hanger sat a larger version of the Normandy class frigate. "They never told me what kind a ship I would be flying," he said, looking at the docked vessel. "I nearly came when I saw this."

"They certainly are putting on a show here," she replied, looking over the large ship.

"I'll do a whole song and dance to fly this thing," he said, pressing his hands against the window. "So can we keep it Mom!" he begged.

Her mind weighed the pros and cons of the situation. Cerberus had the manpower and money to stop the Collector attacks, but she had seen what they had done in the past to preserve humanity. She walked away from the glass and began to think. She knew she had to put her anger aside and do what was necessary to save innocent lives. She would go along with Cerberus, but she had plans of her own. If the Reapers were scaling up their attacks, it wouldn't be long before they would attempt an assault on the entire galaxy. She needed resources and allies. She had to bring the entire breadth of Citadel space together in order to prepare for the inevitable Reaper invasion.

"We are staying, for now," she turned to Joker. He grinned happily and did a little dance as best he could with his leg braces.

"I have another surprise for you then," he smiled.

She returned to where Jacob and Miranda were waiting for her, Joker limping behind her. "Let's get on with this," she growled, not even making eye contact with them. She didn't trust either of them as far as she could throw them. She followed them back towards the hangar and boarded the new ship. It was almost an exact copy, but larger in many places. Shepard wondered how Cerberus had gotten their hands on the design. She figured there was probably still a mole in the Alliance that fed Cerberus secrets.

"Your personal cabin is up a floor," Miranda said, pointing to the elevator. "My quarters are downstairs if you need anything."

"I'll look over this data and get back to you," Shepard said, heading towards the elevator. Before she could enter she was stopped by a red headed woman.

"Hi, I am Kelly Chambers, the ship's Yeoman. I will be helping with all your administrative duties," she said cheerfully.

"I can take care of myself," Shepard walked around her and into elevator. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone else.

She rode the elevator up to her new cabin in the loft section of the ship. It was far more spacious than the minimalist cabin on the Alliance Normandy. She looked at the empty fish tank curiously. "Kind of a bad idea to have glass in here," she said to herself, tapping the glass. "And they didn't even put fish in it for me," she added. She walked around the cabin and wandered into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Shit!" she said aloud as she looked at her face. It was heavily scarred and look slightly different from what she remembered. Her hair was significantly shorter than it had been before. She pulled off her armor and found more large scars underneath. "What the hell did they do to me?" she wondered, turning around to look at the rest of her body. She was horrified and threw on a robe and returned to the main cabin.

She sat down at the small desk and went straight for the extranet terminal. She assumed that Cerberus would be monitoring her use, so started she hacked into the system and found a tracing program. She was able to reroute the program to make it appear that she was searching for arbitrary things. The first thing she typed in afterwards was "Kaidan Alenko."

She could find little about him besides his public Alliance record. She smiled slightly when she saw Staff Commander listed on his rank. The only other trace she could find were several unsuccessful bids on old sci-fi novels. A voice suddenly interrupted her browsing. "Commander Shepard, you have unread messages on your private terminal," Yeoman Chambers called.

"Uh great," Shepard replied with slight sarcasm. She went to the bathroom and returned to scour her messages. None of the senders truly believed Shepard was alive, but were bombarding her with problems regardless. A message mentioning the Normandy sparked her interest. She read over the message carefully, remembering the name of the planet Alchera vividly. The wreckage of the Normandy had come to rest on the surface and was feared to have been stripped. The Alliance was looking for someone to secure the debris.

Shepard called down to Joker and told him to set a course for the planet immediately. She didn't care about getting their mission started until she got some closure. She wanted to see the wreckage for herself. A chime indicated that someone was at the door, so she stood up to answer it. She smiled widely when she saw Dr. Chakwas standing in front of the door. "Janet! What the hell are you doing here?" Shepard smiled, hugging the doctor close to her.

"I couldn't believe it when they told me," Dr. Chakwas smiled.

"It all seems too good to be true," Shepard shook her head. "I heard how they roped Joker in on this, how did you get here?"

"I am here for Joker mostly. There is no cure for his disease and he will always need a good doctor around. And when I heard you might be alive, well, I couldn't say no," Dr. Chakwas replied.

Shepard motioned for her to come inside and walked down into the lounge area. "What happened to the rest of the crew?" Shepard asked, trying to pry for information about Kaidan again.

"Pressley and few lower servicemen in engineering died. Everyone else in the Alliance got reassigned. Garrus and Liara disappeared soon after and I was stationed on Mars. It was a good position, but didn't have the allure of a ship."

"What about Kaidan?" Shepard asked quietly.

"He took your death very hard, Shepard. He disappeared for a while and was eventually reassigned. Ambassador Anderson might know, but I after he left the Citadel I lost contact with him. I'm sorry."

"No, I am just glad he is alive," Shepard replied, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"I am sure this can't be easy," Dr. Chakwas said, placing a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

"Got any of those sedatives left," Shepard smiled slightly.

"I will mix you up just the thing," Dr. Chakwas grinned.

The doctor left and sent up a sedative and something to help speed Shepard's healing. Shepard took a long shower and went to bed, the sedative giving her a long drowsy sleep. She woke up and waited anxiously for their arrival on Alchera. Joker inquired about going down on the shuttle with her, but she refused. She wanted to go alone. She flew the shuttle from the Normandy, her piloting skills showing only a few signs of rust.

The planet's surface was cold and uninhabitable. The wreckage from the ship was strewn for miles across the icy surface. Shepard set the Kodiak down near the largest area of debris. She stepped out and walked along the wreckage that was slowly being buried in snow. She walked past every bit, hoping for some semblance of her old life. She saw a familiar red gleam in the snow and ran towards it, digging at the snow with her hands. She grinned happily as she unburied her old N7 helmet. She didn't care about the helmet, but for what was inside. She flipped the helmet over and peeled off the photograph she had pasted inside. It was the picture she had taken on shore leave with Kaidan. They stood with their backs towards the water, Shepard grinning happily. Kaidan had his arm wrapped around her but his eyes had glanced away from the camera just as she had taken the picture. She clutched the scorched photo tightly to her chest.

She took her time wandering around the debris, the photo placed carefully in her the pouch on her suit. There wasn't much left but scraps of metal. It felt like only days since she had last slept in her old bed and wandered around the decks. When she returned to the new Normandy, she cut off the burnt edges of the photo and hid it on her desk where she could look at it. She stuck the old helmet in the display case next to her desk. She had looked over the dossiers on her terminal before she had left and already planned on the Omega station as their next destination.

She had only heard of Omega by reputation and was not looking forward to visiting the "festering cesspool of Sahrabarik." The dossiers on possible allies weren't pleasing either. A hired bounty hunter, a former spy turned scientist, and a vigilante. "Can't I just go back to my Asari doctor and Turian C-Sec officer," she thought to herself as she looked over the dossiers again.

She showered and climbed into the plush bed once again. It was better than anything she had ever slept in before. "They sure didn't spare any expense," she said quietly to herself as she rolled over in the soft sheets. She would gladly exchange the luxurious bed and ship for her old ship and crew. She didn't sleep well despite the bed, tossing and turning most of the night. She felt disconnected from everything and didn't know how to feel normal again. She tried to numb her mind with a vid but nothing seemed to help. 


	56. The Vigilante

After a sleepless night, the Normandy arrived at Omega. Shepard headed out with Jacob and Miranda in tow. Joker waved her over before she could walk to the airlock. "Permission to disembark," Joker asked with wide-eyed glee in his eyes.

"I guess you've heard of this place's reputation," Shepard smiled.

"Of course not. I am looking for some supplies for the ship," Joker said innocently.

"The ship is fully equipped Lt. Moreau," the VI responded.

"We need other supplies, EDI, not on your manifest," Joker rolled his eyes.

"Go ahead," Shepard smiled. "But come back in one piece."

Shepard's mood soured as soon as she stepped out of the airlock. The smell alone was enough for her to go on a killing spree. It was an acrid mixture of alien cigarettes, bodily fluids, and sweat. The place was also crawling with Batarians. Shepard thought herself beyond xenophobia, but she hadn't met a Batarian worth anything more than target practice. Given her history on Mindoir and Elysium, she still found herself looking at every Batarian with the utmost suspicion.

One Batarian kept his eyes on them as they walked through the docking area and he approached them as they entered the station. "Can I help you?" Shepard asked, scowling at the Batarian.

"I am here on behalf of Aria. Go speak to her right away," he growled.

"I didn't see a sign on the door that said you were in charge," Shepard narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not, but Aria is in charge. I recommend you head over to Afterlife, now!" he added.

"Lead the way," Shepard sneered.

She followed the Batarian into the station, seeing the giant nightclub looming before them. They bypassed the long line and were escorted inside by another Batarian. The club was dark and smoky, though it smelled slightly better than outside. The pounding music added to Shepard's already growing headache. Coupled with her lack of sleep, she was growing a very short fuse. When a drunk Turian stumbled into Shepard, she shoved him hard to the ground without apology.

She continued on to where she had been instructed, Aria's private balcony. "Wait here," another Batarian stopped her and began scanning her.

"My gun is right here, genius," Shepard said, holding up her pistol.

"They aren't looking for weapons, yet," an Asari snarled, standing up from her seat. "Just making sure you are really you."

"Who else would I be?" Shepard asked.

"You could have been anyone," Aria said as her Batarian guard gave her an approving nod. She motioned for Shepard to sit.

"I am looking for some people," Shepard said, sitting down on the tight leather bench. "So what is it you need from me?"

"And who might a dead Spectre be looking for?" Aria asked.

"At least your intel seems sharp," Shepard said sarcastically. "I'm looking for Mordin Solus, Zaeed Massani, and Archangel."

"Is that all?" Aria smiled slightly.

"That should do it for now," Shepard replied.

"Zaeed Massani will be the easiest to find. He is picking up a skip nearby. The other two, however."

"Just tell me how," Shepard replied, becoming increasingly annoyed.

"Solus is trying to play savior down in the slums. There is some plague going around, killing everything but humans coincidently," Aria raised an eyebrow.

"And Archangel?"

"You and every merc group on Omega are looking for him. He has pissed off all of them. Your best bet would be to sign up with one of the recruiting groups going after him."

"That's all I need for now," Shepard said. "Thanks for the hospitality," she added sarcastically.

She walked past the Batarian guards who didn't bother to step out of her way. "What is the plan Commander?" Miranda asked, as they walked along the bar.

"It sounds like Archangel is on borrowed time until we find him," Shepard said, looking at a large group of mercs standing near a room. She sauntered over to the group. "I am looking for a job," she said.

"Yeah?" the Krogan asked, looking at her armor and weapons. "Downstairs," he snarled, motioning her down the stairs.

She walked down with Jacob and Miranda, getting hit immediately with a blast of alcoholic vapors. The tiny room was full of drunk mercenaries. "Looking for work?" the Batarian asked her. Shepard nodded.

"At least you look like you can fight. It is 500 credits if you succeed. Payable only after the job is done. You are considered a freelancer and not apart of any established mercenary group," he replied.

"Great, where do I go?" Shepard asked.

"The shuttle port. One of our guys will take you from there. I will radio over and tell them to expect you," he said.

Shepard returned back up to the main club and went to the bar. "Well, that was easy," she said, waving at the bartender. "What do you have for a headache?" she asked the Turian bartender.

"Coming right up," he nodded.

"What now Shepard?" Jacob asked.

"We should look up this bounty hunter before we go storming off to find Archangel," she replied, slamming the shot the Turian handed to her.

They left Afterlife and inquired about Zaeed's whereabouts. They found him down a back alley, trying to pull a Batarian out of a vent. "You must be Shepard," Zaeed said in a thick accent. "I was told to expect you in the next few days," he said, pulling on the Batarian's leg. "Come on out you little rat. You can't hide from me," he laughed.

"Will you be done soon?" Shepard asked, looking down at the Batarian clawing at the edge of the vent.

"I just have to drop him by my employer and I am at your disposal," Zaeed replied. He kicked the Batarian in the ribs and pulled him up by the collar.

Shepard followed Zaeed as he dropped his bounty off, tossing him through a door without a word. "All ready to go," Zaeed said, dusting off his hands.

He followed Shepard and the rest of the team as they headed towards the shuttle depot. They found another merc waiting for them. "You must be the new guys," the merc said, looking them over. "You ready to go?"

"Let's get on with it," Shepard said.

They climbed into the shuttle with the merc and headed across the dirty station. He dropped them off with only a few words on where to go next. They headed through the derelict alleys towards their destination. The other freelance merc teams were standing around waiting for orders. Shepard asked what they were supposed to do next, but no one seemed to have any ideas. She spied a Batarian fixing a large gunship and decided to inquire with him.

"You look like a man in charge. Any idea what the plan is?" Shepard asked.

The Batarian stopped his welding and stood up. "They finally sent some people who look like they can fight," he said, lightening his welding mask. "Or at least have the right guns. I'm Sergeant Cathka. I'm coordinating the distraction team that you are on."

"And fixing this ship?" she asked.

"This is my full time job, but we are short men. Just be ready to move when we get the signal," Cathka added.

"Whose ship is this?"

"Tarak, our leader. I need to get it ready for the assault, so if you will excuse me," he added, eyeing the group of mercs that had moved out. "That is probably your cue."

Shepard eyed the gunship as she walked away. If there was any chance of getting Archangel out, she knew that the gunship needed to be taken out of the equation. She passed a small charge baton used to fix electrical components. She motioned for the rest of the team to keep an eye out. She grabbed the baton and stood behind Cathka. "What do you want now?" he asked, turning around. She touched the baton to his suit, sending a surge of electric energy through his body. He dropped to the ground, unconscious.

Zaeed helped her drag the body to a hidden corner. "My kind of woman," Zaeed laughed.

"I just don't want this ship to tear us apart when we try to get out," Shepard replied.

They headed to where the freelancers had gone, following them across the bridge. Shepard could hear the loud whiny of a sniper rifle in front of them. She pulled her own carefully off her back and scanned the area. She spied a figure above the bridge in a the tall building that faced them. "Nice to meet you Archangel," she said aloud, moving her rifle towards the backs of the storming freelance mercs. She slowly began picking them off from behind.

She could hear a few rifle shots glancing off her armor. "I am trying to help you idiot!" she yelled, shooting at several mercs with her pistol. They got through the building after taking care of the rest of the distraction team and found Archangel still sitting on his perch. He didn't seem too concerned at their presence. "I guess you finally figured out we are friends," Shepard said, cautiously approaching.

Archangel said nothing but climbed down from his perch and pulled off his helmet. Shepard recognized the Turian's face immediately. "Well, I will be damned, Garrus Vakarian," Shepard shook her head.

"I can't believe I almost shot you Shepard," Garrus laughed, sitting down. "I had you in my sights for a while. I almost didn't believe it was you."

"I am still trying to believe it myself," she said, sitting down across from him. "It all seems too good to be true running into you."

"I am happy to see you regardless," Garrus said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"So what the hell are you doing here?" she asked. "How did you piss off this many mercs?"

"Once we got back to the Citadel, after the Normandy, the Council started their same old routine. They covered up the entire incident with Sovereign, blaming it on Saren and the Geth. I was there on Virmire, I remember what that damn ship said. I wasn't about to let it go. Let's just say we didn't part ways amicably."

"Yeah, Joker gave me the ugly version. How did you end up on Omega?"

"I wanted to do some good. Follow in your footsteps I guess. Things didn't work out so well, as usual."

"You have about as bad of luck as me," Shepard laughed.

"At least I didn't end up blasted out an airlock," he smiled. "You look um, good for a dead woman."

"Well, enough with the reminiscing for now. How the hell are we going to get out of here?"

"That bridge has been my savior for weeks. I doubt it will be the same trying to get back out. We will just have to bide our time and wait for them to make a mistake. Glad to see you are still a great shot," he added, looking at her sniper rifle.

"Let's take a look at what we've got, shall we," she replied, pulling the rifle from her back again. She peered carefully through the scope and looked around the ruined bridge. A few of the wounded mercs were dragging themselves back across.

"The leaders probably already know their team failed again. We should be expecting them any minute," Garrus replied, looking though his scope.

It was only moments later when the mercs began sending their mechs in along with some of their remaining gang members. Shepard spread her team out and they managed to take down each wave of oncoming enemies. "They haven't sent in their heavies yet," Garrus said. "What the hell are they waiting for?"

As they waited they heard a large explosion from below them. "What the hell was that?" Shepard asked.

"I collapsed all the tunnels that run underneath this place. They must have blasted through somewhere. Someone has to get down there and secure the area," Garrus said, looking at the building specs on his omni-tool.

"I am on it. Miranda, stay up here and watch the bridge with Garrus. I will take Zaeed and Jacob downstairs with me," Shepard ordered.

"Sure thing, Commander," Miranda nodded.

Shepard hurried down the stairs and through the door Garrus had directed them to. A small group of mercs had already made their way inside, but they didn't put up much of a fight. They were able to do a quick sweep of the tunnels and re-secure the area before Garrus called them back up.

"The Blood Pack has broken through, we are getting swarmed up here," Garrus called.

"I am on my way," Shepard called, running back upstairs. She nearly ran into a Vorcha and had resort to beating him with the butt of her gun. A large Krogan rushed up the stairs but turned when he heard the vorcha screaming.

"You stupid freelancers aren't good for nothing!" he yelled, firing at them.

Shepard concentrated her efforts on the Krogan leader. He had the optimal position from the stairs but Shepard found a few incineration grenades on the floor next to her. She tossed a few over the railing, which seemed to slow him down. He eventually fell, spilling orange blood down the stairs. Shepard stepped over it carefully and met back up with Garrus.

"That was close Shepard," Garrus breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think it is time we make our break for it," Shepard replied.

"Agreed, let me just grab a few," Garrus said before a wave of bullets blasted through the window.

"Garrus!" Shepard dove forward, seeing Garrus fall to the ground.

"Take care of your friend," Miranda called. "We will take out that ship."

Shepard crawled over to Garrus who was gasping for air. "Hang on Garrus," Shepard said, taking his hand. She pulled out a pack of medi-gel and tried patching him up as best she could while trying to duck from gunfire. "Take that fucking ship out already!" Shepard yelled, pulling Garrus closer to a couch.

"Garrus, can you hear me?" Shepard asked. Garrus only groaned slightly. "Stay here Garrus. You aren't going to die in some bullshit way like this," she yelled.

The gun ship finally exploded, blasting all the remaining windows out of the building. "Grab a shuttle!" Shepard yelled, trying to get Garrus stabilized.

Miranda returned soon after with a shuttle and they loaded Garrus in and took him straight back to the Normandy. Dr. Chakwas got him stabilized and tried to set some of the broken exoskeleton on his face, but he would be permanently scarred. Shepard waited at his bed for him to wake up. "How are you feeling?" she asked when he finally opened his thin eyelids.

"Like I just got half my face shot off," he groaned. He gently pressed one of his talons against his scarred face and grimaced.

"Yeah, it doesn't look too good, but you'll live," she replied.

"Women like scars right?" he tried to laugh.

"We like the subtle scars, not the disfiguring ones," Shepard joked.

"Damn it Shepard, I am glad I found you," he laughed, despite being in pain.

"Me too," she grinned. "I need all the friends I can get. I'll let you rest and then we can catch up."

She left Garrus and returned to her cabin. She decided that trying to find the Salarian doctor would have to wait until tomorrow. She browsed some of the datapads she had snatched from the merc bodies and found an interesting plot to overthrow Aria. "Maybe that bitch will be a little nicer," Shepard said, sending the datapad over via messenger. They stayed docked on Omega for the night, some of the crew taking the chance to disembark and venture out into the nightlife. Shepard stayed in her cabin once again.

She had stripped off her clothes and stood in front of the full length mirror again. "What the hell am I?" she asked herself as she looked over her scarred body. She had lost what figure she had and was nothing but skin and muscle. Even her face seemed slightly different as she stared back at herself. She wanted to believe that this was like her old life but she couldn't. She tried to sleep but found that rest wouldn't come to her once again. 


	57. The Scientist

Shepard left the Normandy with Zaeed and Jacob in the morning, heading out to Omega once again. She hoped finding Solus would be less difficult than getting Garrus out from under the mercs. They headed for the apartment district where his clinic was, but a Turian guard stood in their way.

"You can't go in," the Turian held them up. "Even if you can't catch the plague, we've had reports of looters."

"Do I look like a looter?" Shepard asked angrily. "I am going inside whether you like it or not. I plan on killing any looters or anyone else who wants to stand in my way," Shepard told the guard outright.

"Um," the guard said in a confused manner. "The Blue Suns already went in there. If you want to make trouble with them, that is your business." He let them inside without another word, seeing the weapons on their backs.

"You're not subtle, I like that," Zaeed laughed.

They headed into the derelict Gozu District, hoping to find the Salarian doctor. Shepard was irritated from a lack of sleep and it showed. Her lingering headache had returned and the sound of gunfire was making it worse. As they headed into the district, the smell of death became overwhelming.

She spied a pair of Blue Suns standing guard around a door. She held back Zaeed and Jacob and pulled out her sniper rifle. The first shot hit the merc right in the neck, fracturing the thin armor under his helmet. His fellow guard ducked for cover but made the mistake of peeking out right in front of Shepard's sights. She took him out with a precise head shot and moved on without another word.

The district looked like a war zone. Bodies littered the streets and blood of different species was splattered across walls. "How the fuck could anyone let this go on?" Shepard asked.

"It is plague control at its basest," Zaeed replied. "I was on a colony once that got hit. It was ten times worse there."

She passed a Batarian who was barely conscious. "What are you doing in the street? Why aren't you at the clinic?" she asked.

"What do you care human? You brought this plague here. You are the only ones immune. You and those damn Vorcha," the Batarian spat.

"And why not blame the Vorcha. They seem to be settling in nicely?" she asked.

"You've seen them, they are idiots. They walk around with unstable fuel tanks on their back and no armor."

"Take this medi-gel. We are heading towards the clinic now. I'll send someone to get you."

"Why would you help me?"

"Because I am not an asshole," she replied, dropping a medical pack at his side.

They continued on, finding more bodies along the streets, some locked in their own apartments. They found a pair of humans looting an empty apartment, the owner dead on the ground. "Hey you pieces of shit!" Shepard yelled. "You think you are helping waylay the rumors that we started this plague?"

"Who cares who started it. If we don't take this stuff the Batarians and Vorcha will just get it," one of them responded.

"Well what perfect fucking reasoning," Shepard shook her head. She was so angry and full of rage that she shot the two of them dead. Zaeed and Jacob said nothing, but backed out of the apartment. She stood for a moment over their bodies without an ounce of regret. She knew she should feel something, but only found emptiness.

They moved on through the district spotting another group of Blue Suns. Shepard headed up to a small cafe with her sniper rifle. She let Zaeed and Jacob drive the mercs from cover and took as many clean shots as she could get. The Vorcha were easy targets without armor, her bullets exploded through their thick hides. They cleaned out the rest of the mercs and followed the signs leading towards the clinic.

The clinic smelled worse than the streets, the smell of death mixing acridly with the smell of medical waste. Every room was patrolled by security mechs and full of sick aliens. Shepard inquired about the doctor but received only dismissive hand gestures. She walked towards the back and heard the rhythmic cadence of a Salarian giving orders. "Mordin Solus?" Shepard asked, stepping into the small room.

"Yes? What do you need? Can't you see I am busy? Far too much to do. Far too much to do to be bothered by humans not affected by the plague," he said quickly in one breath.

"Why don't you slow down? I just need to talk to you," Shepard said.

"Oh-kay, I will speak slower for you," he said, drawing out his words.

"Look, I need your help. I am working with a group called Cerberus to investigate attacks on human colonies, though obviously you've got your hands full."

"I believed Cerberus only worked with humans. Am I wrong? Why ask a Salarian?"

"I am asking you, not Cerberus. I believe the Collectors are working for a bigger threat. A threat to the entire galaxy. Not just humans."

"Hmm, yes, the Reapers perhaps. Stumbled over a few of your briefs. Commander Shepard, right? Yes, I recognize you from the magazine covers. Terrible business about your death. How is that going?" he asked.

"How did you get ahold of some of my briefs?"

"Oh, old friends, used to be in Salarian STG. Things of interest get passed along."

"Did these Blue Suns know you were STG when they stormed the clinic? I saw your handiwork outside."

"They were just a minor inconvenience, nothing to trouble myself about," Mordin chuckled slightly.

"So can you help me or not. I need your scientific expertise. And maybe some of that special ops training," she replied.

"Can't leave now, must get cure into central ventilation. Vorcha have moved in, turned off fans. Vorcha likely cause of plague. Most likely working for Collectors too. Would be the only ones who could bioengineer it. Assistant Daniel went out to disperse cure to sick Batarians, didn't come back. Hope he is not dead."

"I'll take care of it," Shepard replied. "Just tell me where to go." Mordin handed Shepard a large vial and pointed her in the right direction, going back to his work immediately.

They headed towards the environmental control center and found a large pack of Vorcha and other Blood Pack mercs standing guard. "This guys are morons," Shepard said quietly, as she locked her scope onto a Vorcha with his back turned from the street. He had a fuel pack on his back that her bullet ripped through, sending a huge fireball around the area. She continued picking off the soft bodied, unarmored Vorcha with ease. They moved from cover predictably and she was able to get at least five headshots.

They continued on through a deserted plaza and heard a loud scuffle down an alley. They found Dr. Solus' assistant Daniel being held hostage by several Batarians. Shepard was close to shooting them but Daniel urged a peaceful solution. "I don't have time to argue about what is right and wrong," Shepard said. "I need to get this into the ventilation."

"That stuff will cure us?" one of the Batarians asked.

"Yeah. So let the doctor go so I don't have to shoot you," Shepard glared at them.

"Fine," the batarian shoved Daniel towards Shepard.

"Get back to Mordin," Shepard stepped aside to let Daniel by. "Tell him we will be back soon."

They left the batarians and found the large plaza that led to the environmental control station but it was heavily guarded by more Vorcha. Shepard pulled out her rifle once again and picked off the ambush group that was hiding in the mezzanine across from them while Zaeed and Jacob cleaned up the plaza area. The waves of Vorcha were nearly unrelenting but last stragglers finally fell to a barrage of fire.

Shepard hurried downstairs into the environmental control center. The Vorcha prowled the area, their leader waiting for Shepard and her team. He admitted they were working for the Collectors, hoping to clear the station of all alien life so the human populace could be easily taken. Shepard quieted the Vorcha with a quick shot of her sniper rifle and tried to take out as many of the others as she could.

When she ran out of ammo, she dove behind a wall, catching a few shots in her shields. The Vorcha continued to make a push, blocking both the central control console and the two main ventilation fans. Shepard and the rest of the team plowed through each wave, taking hard fire from the Vorcha's heavy weapons. When they were finally able to get to the fans, Shepard had nearly expended all of her cooling clips. She slumped down by the console to rest for a moment.

"Are you alright Commander?" Jacob asked.

"I'm fine," Shepard waved him off.

She closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. She had a sharp pain in her side that was aggravated every time she took in a breath. "Maybe we should get you back to the clinic," Jacob said, seeing her wince slightly as she took deep breaths.

"I am fine," she snapped, pushing herself up with the help of her pistol. They slowly made their way back to clinic, Shepard trying to hide the pain in her side. She tried to push as much medi-gel into her suit as possible. Mordin was waiting for them when they returned, the patients already beginning to look better. "It looks like it worked. Will you be ready to go soon?" Shepard asked.

"Of course, I keep my promises. Plague is cured, assistant has been found, well qualified to take over. Looking forward to studying your Collector data," Mordin answered.

He followed them back to the ship and Shepard made sure he got settled into the science lab. "So what do you know about Cerberus?" Shepard asked.

"Cerberus is desperate," Mordin replied, half smiling and looking happily over the brand new equipment. "Reaching out for alien help. Threat must be very severe."

"No kidding," Shepard shook her head. "Let me know if you need anything else."

She left Mordin and headed over to the bridge. She found Joker engaged in an argument with EDI. "Mr. Moreau has put grease on the cameras," EDI tattled.

"You are just mad that all your spy footage looks like a soap opera vid," Joker smiled.  
>"Damn it Joker, keep your jerk off lotion off the cameras. It is bad enough that you do it in the cockpit," Shepard laughed.<p>

"Jeez, does EDI send you the video footage," Joker asked accusingly.

"I was joking," Shepard smiled.

"Uh, yeah, me too," Joker laughed nervously.

"I am getting a little tired of hearing that the Council is hiding information on the Reapers. I think it is time to have a little chat with them," she added.

"To the Citadel then?" Joker asked.

"Damn straight," she said.

She returned to her cabin and pulled off her armor, finding the source of her sharp pain. One of her scars had opened back up but was not bleeding. She didn't want to trouble Dr. Chakwas, so she just put a nano bandage on it and tried to lie down. She had reached the point of being too tired to sleep and stayed up to look over more reports and dossiers. 


	58. Stress

As the Normandy headed to the Citadel, Dr. Chakwas came up to visit Shepard. "How are things?" Dr. Chakwas asked after Shepard invited her in. Shepard hadn't slept in at least 50 hours and didn't look well.

"I am fine," Shepard replied, sitting down on the couch.

"You don't look fine," Dr. Chakwas said. "You look like you haven't slept or eaten. And Jacob had some concerns of his own."

"He doesn't think I am Team Cerberus enough or something? I don't really care," she replied.

"He says you aren't acting like yourself," the doctor replied, seeing how defensive she was becoming already. Jacob had told Dr. Chakwas about Shepard's lack of remorse at killing the looters and was concerned about her psychological state.

"Of course I am not. I don't feel like myself," Shepard pressed her fingers against her eye sockets. "It feels like I've been shoved in someone else's body, doing someone else's job."

"There aren't a lot of people who have come back from the dead. There isn't any psychological protocol to try and understand what you are feeling, but I am here for you regardless Shepard," Dr. Chakwas said, placing a gentle hand on her knee.

"I just want to sleep," Shepard said, gritting her teeth. Even though she was angry at Jacob gossiping to the doctor, she felt on the verge of tears.

"I will bring you something up along with some dinner," Dr. Chakwas said.

She left for a moment and returned with a sedative and tray of food. She watched Shepard eat with a look of concern. Shepard didn't seem like herself and caused Dr. Chakwas a great deal of worry. When Dr. Chakwas returned to the medical lab she asked EDI to monitor all of Shepard's vital signs and activities until they reached the Citadel. She started looking through medical journals that dealt with post traumatic stress disorder and near death syndromes.

When the Normandy arrived at the Citadel, the Cerberus crew seemed slightly concerned. No one seemed to think the Alliance would be of any assistance and felt the trip was pointless. Shepard ignored them, knowing she wasn't looking for help, she was looking for answers. She felt slightly better after sleepy, but still did not feel like herself. A new dossier noted they were to pick up another paid contractor, making Shepard unhappy about bringing more crew for hire on board. She was close to telling the Illusive Man to go fuck his dossiers.

The Normandy docked at the public shuttle bay and Shepard took Mordin and Garrus with her. She wanted no one affiliated with Cerberus with her. The station had changed dramatically since she had left. They were met immediately with a long security line and stood waiting for at least an hour. Shepard stood annoyed as they waited to be processed, watching all the other figures passing by. Not surprisingly, her processing didn't go well. When her DNA scan revealed she was dead, the security guards got up in arms, fearing a terrorist attack. It took quite a while for Shepard's identity to finally be confirmed.

When they finally made their way through security, they found their target, Kasumi Goto waiting for them. "I was hoping you made subtle entrances," Kasumi smiled slightly.

"It's hard to pass as human when you are technically undead," Shepard replied.

"It is a honor meeting such a prestigious zombie," Kasumi laughed.

"You can find my ship at docking bay 456-C. Get settled in," Shepard ordered.

Kasumi nodded and disappeared under her tactical cloak. "Let's get a shuttle and get the hell out of here," Shepard said.

"I never thought I'd come back here," Garrus remarked.

They found a shuttle and headed towards the embassies. "This place has really changed," Shepard remarked, looking out the window.

"You should have been here for the bidding war on who could do the best repairs," Garrus remarked.  
>"They went so over budget they had to install those advert kiosks to make up the cost."<p>

"And they think this will save them from the Reapers?" she shook her head.

When they arrived on the Presidium their driver parked. They left their shuttle and climbed the few stairs to the Human Embassy and were immediately greeted by Ambassador Anderson. "Shepard!" Anderson nodded as she entered.

"I guess you were expecting me?" Shepard asked.

"C-Sec called ahead," Anderson replied, taking a seat.

"I am sure that was a shock to hear," Shepard added, sitting down across from him.

"There were rumors going around. I guess didn't believe them until now," he replied.

"What sort of rumors?"

"That you were alive and working for Cerberus."

"Well I am alive, but I am not working for Cerberus. I am using their ship and resources to investigate these colonial disappearances. I came here to find out what the Alliance is doing about it."

"The Alliance can't do anything about it. These attacks are happening in the Terminus Systems. If we go out there, we start a galaxy wide war."

"As opposed to the galaxy wide war that will happen when the Reapers decide to wake up?" Shepard added in an annoying tone. She had always liked Captain Anderson but she could see him placating in his new position as ambassador. The console on Anderson's desk rang and interrupted their conversation.

"The Council was also alerted to your presence. I expect they will want to talk to you as well," Anderson said, answering the console. The Council holograms appeared behind her.

"So it is true," the Turian Councillor said.

"In the flesh," Shepard said, standing up.

"Councillor Anderson, feel free to place Commander Shepard under arrest," the Turian Councillor added.

"Arrest? Like hell," Shepard took an angry step towards the holograms.

"Don't you think Shepard should get a chance to tell her side?" Anderson interrupted.

"Very well," the Turian Councillor nodded. "Perhaps you would like to tell us what our former Spectre is doing with a known terrorist group?"

"I am not doing anything with them. I came here to find out why you are trying to cover up the Reapers and doing nothing about these colonial attacks?" she asked.

"Our jurisdiction does not extend to the Terminus Systems where these attacks are occurring," the Asari Councillor added.

"And the Council generally doesn't get involved in affairs of a purely Human concern," the Salarain Councillor finally spoke up.

"You ungrateful bastards!" Shepard yelled. "I saved your asses at the cost of a lot of human lives and this is the thanks I get? When the Reapers come, it won't be a purely Human concern."

"Ah yes, the Reapers. The scapegoat that you blamed instead of Saren? It still amazes me that you were fooled by his ruse," the Turian Councillor laughed slightly.

"It wasn't a ruse!" Garrus interrupted, coming to the defense of Shepard. "I was standing next to Shepard on Virmire. I heard what that ship said. You can't just ignore this!"

"Vakarian," the Turian Councillor said with disdain. "Haven't you worn out your welcome here?"

Garrus stepped forward towards the hologram but Shepard held him back. She narrowed her eyes at the holograms and began speaking with more venom. "I spent months tracking down your rouge Spectre. I saved billions of lives here on the Citadel. I am walking out of here and I am going to stop the Collectors from attacking our colonies. And then I am going to kick the Reapers' asses. You can stand here with your alien dicks in your hands until then."

"Commander Shepard, we are all extremely grateful for your efforts. I do not wish you to leave on these terms," the Asari said, softening her tone and signaling for the other two Councillors to hold back.

"And there is no way I am arresting Shepard," Anderson said, stepping next to her. "I think it is time you showed her some damn gratitude."

"You will be free to leave Shepard, as long as you return and keep your efforts in the Terminus Systems. The Council will allow you free reign to investigate these attacks. We will also reinstate your Spectre status," the Asari added.

"So I'll be working for you again," Shepard half laughed.

"Think of it as a gesture of understanding," the Asari nodded. "You are free to do what you wish in the Terminus Systems."

"Fine," Shepard waved them off, hitting the button to shut off the hologram generators.

Shepard sat back down in a chair with a loud sigh. "Things went better than I thought," Anderson said, sitting down again.

"Yeah, that was just like old times," Shepard frowned.

"Shepard. I wish I could help you. I know you wouldn't be working with Cerberus unless there was a good reason. Stay in touch with me. I will try to help you as much as I can," he added.

"Can you tell me where Kaidan is? Liara?" Shepard asked.

"Dr. T'soni disappeared shortly after your death. I don't know where she is. Staff Commander Alenko is currently on a classified mission. I am afraid I can't tell you where he is."

Shepard frowned and looked out at the tranquil Presidium. She could hear the reluctance in Anderson's voice as he spoke. She suspected he knew about her close relationship with Kaidan. She was tempted to see if Anderson could pass along a message, but she didn't know what she would say. She sat in silence for a while before thanking Anderson. She left the embassy with Garrus and Mordin trailing behind her.

"Glad to see nothing has changed," Garrus said sarcastically, shaking his head.

"Probably should have let them die. Installed puppet government instead. Would have solved a lot of problems," Mordin added.

"I think you might be right," Shepard replied, shaking her head.

She had come for answers, but was leaving empty handed. She spied a small lounge ahead and headed inside. "Give me something that clears your head," Shepard ordered at the bar.

"Should we get back to the Normandy?" Garrus asked.

"In a little while, I just need to relax for a moment," she said as the bartender began mixing her drink.

"I am going the bathroom then," Garrus said.

Mordin had wandered over to a curious novelty machine that tested love making skill, leaving Shepard alone at the bar. She just wanted some semblance of closure. She needed to know if Kaidan had moved on and was with someone else. She could already feel her head swimming from the drink and downed the rest of it. She felt woozy and tried to steady herself but as she passed out, she fell across the bar. 


	59. A Bony Shoulder to Cry On

Shepard woke up in the medical bay and found Garrus sitting at her side. "What the hell happened?" Shepard asked, holding her pounding head.

"You had one too many or five," he laughed slightly. "When I came back from the bathroom I found you slumped across the bar."

"Did you and Mordin carry me back?" she asked.

"Ms. Goto helped as well. It seems she was following us. You should probably stick to human drinks," he laughed again.

"I just needed to, never mind," Shepard held her head. "Thanks for getting me back."

"Of course Shepard. I know you'd do the same for me," he added warmly.

Garrus excused himself and left her alone in the med bay. She climbed off the bed and began rifling through the medicine area for more sedatives. Dr. Chakwas came in and tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Are you alright?" Chakwas asked.

"Just had a little too much to drink," Shepard replied.

"I mean physically, your scars seem to be getting worse somehow. I took the liberty of giving you another full physical while you were asleep."

"I wouldn't worry about it doc," Shepard added backhandedly. She was annoyed at Chakwas' needless concern.

Shepard grabbed some pills and returned upstairs to her cabin for more sleep. She didn't notice the fish in her tank until after she woke up. "Um, Ms. Chambers, where did these fish come from?" Shepard called down from her terminal.

"Garrus brought them on board for you. I took the liberty of putting them in. I can feed them if you want," Kelly replied.

"No," Shepard replied. "I can manage it."

She got up and looked at the fish that were dancing around in the large tank. There were six in total that she decided to name after her former squad mates. The fanciest fish she deemed "Kaidan." She watched the fish for a while, their slow undulating bodies making her drowsy once again. She stretched out across the couch and took another nap. She woke up late in the evening and found a small note on the table from Kasumi. Shepard headed downstairs to see what it was about.

"Are you feeling better?" Kasumi asked when Shepard entered.

"If anyone else asks me that I am going to scream," Shepard frowned.

Kasumi half smiled and jumped off the couch she was sitting on. "So who is Kaidan?" she asked.

"What?" Shepard replied, caught off guard by the loaded question.

"You were mumbling something about a man named Kaidan," Kasumi added.

"He is a friend," Shepard said shortly.

"You don't fool me Shepard," Kasumi said, looking out the large window. "He is special to you. This makes you perfect for the job."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shepard eyed her suspiciously, sitting down on the couch. "What's your story?"

"I am a thief, first and foremost. The best in the galaxy, but not necessarily the most famous. I had a partner once, he was a good thief as well."

"Let me guess, he stole your heart?" Shepard asked sarcastically.

"No, he died," Kasumi frowned, turning to look at Shepard.

"Oh, sorry," Shepard said, her face reddening with embarrassment slightly. "So what did you want to talk about? Your note?"

"Changing the subject already, I like that," Kasumi grinned. "Part of the reason I agreed to come aboard is because I need your help. The pay was nice too."

"What sort of help?" Shepard asked, sliding off the couch and looking around the small room. It had already been well settled into.

"I need to retrieve a piece of hardware from a smuggler, Donovan Hock. It is my former partner's gray box."

"What is that?"

"It stores memories, thoughts, information."

"It must be important stuff if you'd sign up with a terrorist organization and a dead hero."

"This gray box contains the memories of my Keiji, my partner. It is more sentimental to me, though the information on it is also worth a fortune."

"I see," Shepard said, staring at a bookshelf full of old books Kaidan would've enjoyed.

"These are very rare," Kasumi said, walking quietly behind Shepard and pointing at the books. "Keiji would get them for me. Some of them are priceless."

"I paid about ten thousand credits for this," Shepard said, pulling out a copy of the sci-fi novel she had given Kaidan for his birthday. She looked down at the book sadly.

"Where is he?" Kasumi asked.

"Nobody knows," Shepard left without another word, heading straight for the elevator in tears. She was surprised when the doors slid open and Garrus was standing in front of her. "I was just coming to look in on you," Garrus waved.

"Thanks for the fish," Shepard sniffed slightly, trying to wipe a tear from her eye.

"I thought an empty fish tank was pretty useless," Garrus chuckled slightly. "It was the least I could do after you saved my ass, again."

Shepard tried to laugh, letting the tears spill down her cheeks as she broke down. Garrus eyed her uncomfortably, running a hand nervously along his fringe. "We Turians don't cry in a human sense, it is more of a guttural cry. But I, uh assume something is wrong," he added, fumbling his words.

"It's everything. The universe has kept going these last two years and I wake up feeling like it has been a week. Everything I knew is different, everything has changed. Even you seem different somehow," she replied.

"I'm sorry Shepard. I can understand how hard this must be," Garrus said, patting her on the shoulder briskly. He hugged her slightly, but in a nervous fashion.

"Thank you, Garrus," Shepard replied, wiping her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator and into her cabin.

"I'll always be here for you," Garrus nodded, stepping back into the elevator.

Shepard watched as the doors slid shut, Garrus beginning to shake his head in embarrassment. It was a touching moment from the normally stoic Turian. She sat down at her console and set a course towards Bekenstein, where Kasumi had instructed. She felt compassion for the sadness in Kasumi's voice when she spoke of Keiji. Shepard could only guess where Kaidan was in the expansive universe.

She swallowed some of the sedatives she'd taken from the med lab and got into bed. She wanted nothing more than to sleep in between her missions. She didn't have to think about how her life was in ruins or about all the things she had lost in two years. Her dreams were mostly pleasant and usually consisted of her life with Kaidan or choking the life out of the Illusive Man. She slept well into the next morning and finally got out of bed.

She showered and checked the flight log, nothing that they wouldn't be arriving on Bekenstein until later in the day. She looked over a few reports and began planning their next few steps and mapped out the next few targets they would hit for recruitment. She sat at her desk brooding for a while afterwards. She hated going about things in this way. She wanted her own team on her own terms, and on her own ship. She felt isolated up in her cabin, though she didn't feel like socializing with the crew much. Most of them worked for Cerberus and as far as Shepard figured, were still enemies.

She was grateful for the few old crew she had on board, but it all seemed too convenient, like some sort of ploy to make her stay. She decided to go down and check on Garrus, he had been acting strangely since he had come on board. She headed down to engineering to talk to him. She found him in the middle of calibrating the engines. "I can come back if you are busy?" Shepard asked.

"No, that's okay," Garrus waved.

"How are you taking to the ship? This whole mission?" she asked, leaning against the railing.

"It's good to be working with you again," Garrus nodded. "I guess I am not so lucky out on my own."

"How did you end up here? I mean, being hunted by all the bounty hunters on Omega?"

"It's a long story," Garrus frowned and took a seat. "After you died the Council wanted everything you stirred up to go away. I decided to take some initiative like you. I got a team together, started righting wrongs, doing good. Well, things didn't turn out so well, I guess we can't all be like you. I envy you Shepard, you are an incredible woman."

"You are good at what you do Garrus," Shepard said, reassuringly. "I've never seen a better rifleman. Maybe you should just stick to that," she tried to laugh.

"Thanks Shepard, I can see why, uh, maybe I should get back to work," Garrus added hesitantly.

"Right, take care," Shepard replied, seeing that he was acting uncomfortable again.

She returned to her cabin and tried to eat, but still didn't have much of an appetite. She didn't know what Kasumi had planned on Bekenstein but with how things had gone lately, she was expecting trouble. She watched a vid to occupy her time and waited for the ship to arrive at their destination.


	60. Gray Memories

***Sorry for the long delay in posting. One of my cats is very sick and I haven't felt up to writing for the past few weeks.***

Shepard had fallen asleep during her vid and woke up as they were nearing Bekenstein. She met Kasumi on the CIC deck after smoothing down her messy hair. The ship docked on Milgrom and Shepard and Kasumi checked into the hotel next to the docking bay. They went over the plan for the party later that evening. Shepard would be posing as a merc leader, under a fake name and reputation Kasumi had fabricated. Donovan Hock was holding a large party at his mansion for a collection of thieves, merc leaders, and smugglers.

"I took the liberty of picking something out for you," Kasumi grinned slightly, tossing a garment bag across the bed. Shepard unzipped the bag and pulled out the short leather dress.

"I prefer silk myself," Shepard frowned slightly. She disappeared into the bathroom to change and slipped into the tight dress. She felt slightly self-conscious about all the scars on her body but it would suit her image as a mercenary.

"Everyone is bringing a gift. Ours is a statue of your old nemesis, Saren. Our weapons and armor will be stashed inside," Kasumi said.

"That's an odd gift," Shepard shook her head.

They grabbed a shuttle and headed to the Hock mansion an hour after the party had began Several other shuttles were dropping off passengers. Shepard stepped carefully out of the shuttle, trying not the flash the entire crowd of guests. A well dressed man came out to greet those who had arrived. He glanced over at Shepard and grinned. "I don't believe I have ever had the pleasure to make your acquaintance," the man said in a thick accent.

"Allison Gunn," Shepard lied, slipping her hand out seductively.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said, taking her hand gingerly. "Your resume is impressive or so the extranet leads me to believe. I like to see my colleagues in action, if you know what I mean," he grinned at her. He glanced over at Kasumi, who was standing beside her. "Your body guard will need to stay outside the party. We are all friends here."

"I understand," Shepard nodded.

She followed Hock inside, giving Kasumi a backwards glance. "You will have to excuse me Ms. Gunn, but I can't neglect my other guests. I would love to speak with you again when I am done with my rounds," he added.

She nodded and let him go on his way. She grabbed one of the alcohol beverages and used it to hide her lips. "What now?" Shepard asked Kasumi.

"We need to check out the vault, see what kind of security we are up against," Kasumi said quietly into her earpiece.  
>"You didn't get the specs ahead of time?" Shepard wondered.<p>

"It's not as if Hock flaunts his security system to the public. The vault is downstairs," Kasumi replied.

Shepard walked around the mansion, taking in all the expensive artwork. She glanced down the stairs and pretended that her shoe had fallen off, so she would have an excuse to go downstairs.  
>Kasumi appeared from under her tactical cloak as Shepard approached the vault entrance. "Is this about what you expected?" Shepard asked.<p>

"For the most part," Kasumi replied, looking at the systems. "It is pretty standard. DNA, voice recognition, kinetic barrier. All pretty easy."

"Easy, huh? And how are we supposed to obtain all this?"

"That's what I brought you for. You'll need to distract Hock."

"And what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"We need to get into his bedroom. There will be loads of DNA samples in there."

"Ew," Shepard made a face. "Look, I don't know what you've heard, but I don't," Shepard added before Kasumi interrupted.

"You just have to get inside. I will create a diversion before anything happens. You just need to lay on the charm for a little while."

"I can't believe I am doing this," Shepard grumbled. She returned upstairs and stood in Hock's eye line, pretending to look at her omni-tool. "I hope the party is not boring you, Ms. Gunn," Hock smiled, finally approaching her from the side.

"I prefer my parties to be a little more raucous," Shepard grinned falsely.

"Perhaps another drink will liven things up," Hock motioned towards a waiter. "To getting everything we want," he toasted.

"Right," she toasted back, swallowing the drink in one gulp.

"You seem a little tense, Ms. Gunn. Have you ever had an Illium Massage before?" he asked.

"I've had some trouble with work lately. Having to hiring people I don't want to," Shepard vented slightly. "I guess I am not relieving the stress well. Are you offering me a massage?" she tried to add demurely.

"Perhaps after the rest of the guest leave," he smiled.

Shepard made small talk with Hock, trying to be as flirty as possible. She could feel her dislike for him growing by the second. A security guard interrupted them and Shepard took the liberty of slipping away. "You are playing things pretty well," Kasumi whispered. "I've found a security room. We can get the barrier shut down and perhaps find the password to the vault."

Shepard kept her eye on the occupied Hock and slipped into the security room without him seeing her. They found only a few guards watching a Krogan cartoon and were easy to catch off guard. "This should take care of everything else once you get into the room," Kasumi said looking through the computer console. "I've got the password. Hock's guards are pretty careless," she smiled.

As Shepard crept out of the secure room, she spied Hock coming her way. She quickly stepped towards a bookshelf and began eyeing some of the books. They were expensive and rare, some of them that she she knew Kaidan would enjoy. She was half tempted to try to pocket one, but her tight dress would conceal little. "You are interested in books, Ms. Gunn?" Hock said, stepping behind her. He slid a hand across her bare shoulder. She tried not to shudder from his callused hands.

"I am interested in anything that can fetch a good price on the black market," Shepard replied.

"I have plenty of those in my personal rooms," Hock grinned.

"I'd love to see them," Shepard tried to smile. "We could slip away for a few minutes."

Shepard followed Hock down to his private rooms and he pointed out several expensive artifacts and weapons he had acquired. She hoped Kasumi would be able to create a distraction or else she was going to have to break Hock's neck. She was beginning to get another headache and wanted nothing more than to lie down for a nap.

The large windows of Hock's private quarters looked out across the water and towards the city. Shepard walked towards them, putting some distance between herself and Hock. "Quite a view," Shepard remarked.

"I like everything in my life to be exceptional," Hock came up behind her and pressed his hand against Shepard's backside. She clenched her jaw and tried not to tightened her fist. She needed only to spin around quickly to snap his neck with one fluid motion. She wondered if he had some sort of device that would alert security if his heart stopped and didn't think killing him would be a smart idea. As he began kissing her shoulder she contemplated putting him in a choke hold until he passed out.

Luckily, a security guard interrupted Shepard's violent thoughts, alerting Hock to a heated argument that had begun upstairs. "Perhaps we should continue this once all the other guests have left," Hock said, his lips lingering on her neck.

"Yes, I'd hate to be interrupted again," Shepard said as she let out a sigh of relief.

She followed him back out, wiping the disgusting amount of saliva off her neck. "You're lucky I didn't kill him," Shepard said quietly when Hock had left to settle the argument.

"I've got everything we need," Kasumi said. "Come on."

Shepard slipped down into the vault again. "You owe me, big time," Shepard said, unzipping her dress. She pulled her armor from the hidden compartment and began to change as Kasumi worked on the vault controls. As soon as Shepard was dressed they headed down the vault elevator.

Hock's vault was impressive, full of stolen treasures from across the galaxy. As expected, the gray box Kasumi came for was among them. As soon as Kasumi picked it up, alarms began to sound. Hock's voice boomed over a loudspeaker moments later. "I was almost sure it was you Ms. Goto. Your friend almost caught me off guard. It is a pity I did not get to see how far she would have went to help you," he mocked.

"I'd have killed you first," Shepard sneered, firing her pistol towards the loudspeaker.

It wasn't log before an elevator full of guards burst out from the doors. Shepard ducked behind the large cases, their bulletproof glass providing some cover. She was able to power up her tactical cloak and crept quickly to a better vantage point. She picked off a few of the mercenaries, the elevator proving to be a valuable choke point. "What is the plan now?" Shepard yelled to Kasumi.

"I've got specs for the mansion," Kasumi motioned her head.

Shepard backed up towards the door, continuing to fire. The door was locked but she was able to find the control panel. "I need some fucking cover fire!" Shepard yelled, trying to access the panel while still firing her pistol.

Kasumi managed to keep the mercs busy while Shepard hacked the door controls. As soon as the doors slid open, she ducked inside. Kasumi followed soon after and shot the panel on the other side so the doors couldn't be reopened. They continued on through the lower levels, passing large caches of weapons and vehicles.

It was hard getting through but they managed to fight their way towards the jet pad. Shepard called Joker and made sure the Kodiak was on its way to pick them up. "We need to clear this area before the shuttle can land," Shepard said, firing at the mercs that remained.  
>She heard the hangar bay doors snap open and took cover. She watched as a large gunship flew out. "Oh for fucks' sake can't anything be easy?" Shepard yelled over the loud engines of the ship.<p>

"Come on Shepard, you must be having some fun," Kasumi laughed.

Shepard only gave Kasumi and dour look and shot towards the ship but none of her fire penetrated its shields. "What the hell are we going to do now?" Shepard angrily ejected her heat clip.

"Leave the shields to me," Kasumi said running towards the landing pad.

Shepard protected her with cover fire as best she could, ducking away from the blasts of the gunship. She watched as Kasumi climbed up onto the highest point of the landing pad. She jumped onto the ship as it passed by, quickly scuttling towards the electronics panel. The ship tried to maneuver her from the hull, but she gripped it tightly. The shields dropped as Kasumi dove into the water below.

Shepard made a quick detour back inside and found a case of missile launchers. She took a quick aim and sent a rocket towards the unprotected ship. The missile glanced off the ship's wing, sending it into a spin. She reloaded and took a better aim, hitting the hull precisely. The ship exploded into hundreds of pieces, raining fiery bits of metal down onto the landing pad.

Shepard slumped down the ground, her head now pounding. She finally pulled herself up and vomited over the side of the railing, seeing Kasumi swimming towards the lower dock under the landing pad. Shepard walked towards the landing pad and sat down on one of the crates, waiting for the Kodiak to arrive.

Kasumi came sauntering up the stairs, still dripping water. She pulled back her hood and finally revealed her face fully to Shepard. She had long black hair that was pulled carefully back into a ponytail. She wrung out her wet hair and smiled at Shepard.

"What the hell was on that gray box that made you go through all this. And made Hock fight for it so much?" Shepard sighed as Kasumi sat next to her.

"The information that is contained in it. Something that could implicate the Alliance," Kasumi said, pulling the gray box out. "I came for the memories."

Shepard glanced down at the gray box and sat back on the railing. "Thank you Shepard," Kasumi added.

"Don't mention it," Shepard sighed, closing her eyes. "And don't ever ask me to do anything like that again."

She climbed into the shuttle without another word and went straight to her cabin when they returned to the Normandy. She sent Joker a new course and climbed into the shower. She didn't even bother drying off and went straight to bed. She felt only anger as she prepared to move forward. They would be picking up a convicted murderer from the prison ship, Purgatory. Shepard wondered what the Illusive Man was up to with the squad he wanted Shepard to compile. She only knew she wouldn't hesitate to kill any that got in her way.


	61. Panic

The Normandy quickly made its way to the Hourglass Nebula with a few relay jumps and a day of FTL travel. They docked with the prison ship Purgatory, shortly after they had been cleared for arrival. Shepard looked unhappily out as they docked to the large ship. "I don't know about this one Shepard," Joker shook his head, sealing the doors between the airlock. "It is one thing to have sexy thieves in catsuits, but a convicted murderer?"

"I don't know about any of this," Shepard frowned. "I am going to talk to him and see what he has to stay before agreeing to anything."

She called Zaeed and Garrus to accompany her into the prison. They both had experience transporting prisoners and she was going to let them handle the transfer if she agreed to make it. They boarded the ship and were immediately greeted by the Turian warden, Kuril. He seemed amiable and eager to get the transaction underway. "You'll need to come to out processing with me. Your funds still haven't cleared and we can't let Jack out of cryo until then," Kuril said.

Shepard looked at him annoyed. She had expected everything to be taken care of in advance. "I'd like to speak with Jack before we agree to take possession. I need to make sure he's the right fit for my ship," she said.

"By all means, but there is still paperwork to be filled out," Kuril replied.

She followed Kuril apathetically, letting her eyes wander around the massive ark ship. She could see countless rows of pods lined up along the walls. A giant arm was the only way to access each pod. The place seemed pretty secure and locked down. The prison was notorious for housing the most dangerous killers in the galaxy. This was where Shepard would have taken Saren if he'd survived and avoided execution from the Council.

Kuril motioned towards a doorway and Shepard walked inside the large room. It looked like a waiting area with several rows of seats and tables. Shepard couldn't imagine many people getting off the prison ship. A guard pointed her towards another doorway. As she approached the doorway, she heard a gun cock behind her. She sighed and turned around, seeing five new guards behind them with their assault rifles pointed up.

"Sorry about this Shepard, but you have quite a bounty on your head. With you as my prisoner, I can live like a king," Kuril announced over a loudspeaker.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me?" Shepard stared at the guards in anger, feeling her biotics begin to tingle in her fingertips. She had come onto the ship in a bad mood and felt herself unable to control her powers. "We'll go peacefully," Shepard lied, as she readied to let loose her biotics.

She took a step forward with her hands up and threw all five guards back with a powerful biotic throw. She began firing on the toppled guards immediately. More guards poured in but they were easy targets for Shepard and her crew. "What's the plan Shepard?" Garrus yelled as the last of the Blue Suns in the room fell.

"We get the hell out of here," Shepard replied.

They left the out processing room and headed back into the hallway where more guards were waiting for them. The doors back to the docking bay were locked down. "The security room? Where is it?" Shepard asked one of the wounded mercs they'd taken down.

"That way," the man pointed, his voice croaking. Shepard shot him in the neck and moved in the direction he had pointed.

They found a few technicians in the security room, but they were only armed with small pistols. "We need to get the doors open," Shepard looked at the panels.

"It looks like all the console is locked. There is a security purge override but that would open the entire ship and let all the prisoners out," Garrus replied, looking down at the console in front of him.

"Do it. Let Kuril deal with the rest of them," Shepard said.

She went to the window to watch the all the doors open at once. The large cryo pod that had been retrieved also opened, which held the prisoner they'd come for. Instead of the brutish man she'd expected, a thin, tattooed woman lie frozen inside. "That's Jack?" Shepard remarked, watching the woman awake slowly.

"What the hell have you done Shepard. Don't let Jack get away!" Kuril radioed over the loudspeaker. "Kill anyone but her. And try to bring Shepard alive."

"Are we just going to leave her down there," Garrus said, seeing that she was still shackled inside her pod.

As Jack began to awake, a biotic aura surrounded her. She burst from the metal cuffs in a loud scream. She looked confused but as soon as she saw a group of heavy mechs in front of her, she let loose a powerful biotic kick. The mechs exploded in her way as she disappeared across the room. "What the hell is she?" Zaeed wondered.

"Who cares, let's go," Shepard said, as a large explosion rocked the security room.

"She is tearing through the ship, someone stop her!" Kuril screamed over the loudspeaker.

"This way is blocked Shepard, the explosion must have done it," Garrus called.

"Shit," Shepard yelled back. "She is going to take this whole place down. We need to find another way to the docking bay then."

They headed downstairs, finding a path of destruction in the wake of the powerful biotic. The alarms from the ship began to blare and coupled with the fires and destruction, the scene was all too familiar. Shepard remembered the Normandy attack and began to have a sudden panic attack. She stopped in place and closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. Her breathing quickly grew and she bent over to wretch.

"Shepard, are you alright?" Garrus asked, taking ahold of her shoulder.

"I," Shepard paused, trying to release the panic from her muscles. Her throat seized and she felt like she couldn't breath.

"Shepard, what's wrong?" Garrus asked.

"The Normandy," Shepard said, her mind clouded by the memories of the Normandy. "We've got to get out now before the ship explodes." Her eyes were closed tightly and she had tears running down her face.

"We're not on the Normandy," he looked at her. He'd seen the same panics in some of the men he'd served with in the Turian army. "Shepard, you've got to breath. Remember where you are."

"Here," Zaeed handed Garrus an inoculator from a nearby medical station. "It is an anti-anxiety shot, it should help her."

"I am going to give you this Shepard," Garrus said, placing the inoculator on her bare neck.

The drug hissed into her neck and he waited for a few minutes for her head to clear. She finally opened her eyes and looked at him. "What the hell just happened?" she asked, as another explosion rocked the ship.

"Some bad stuff. Come on, let's try to get out of here in one piece," Garrus added in a reassuring tone. He helped her up and they moved on their way. They followed Jack's path of destruction and the mercs trying to stand in their way. They made their way towards the last cellblock, finding Kuril guarding the exit He was protected by a massive shield array. Most of the critical systems of the ship were beginning to fail. "Damn you Shepard," Kuril yelled. "I won't let you get away with this."

Garrus pulled out his sniper rifle and began picking off guards. Each shot rang loudly over through the burning vessel. Shepard tried to help out, but the medication was making her mind cloudy. Garrus and Zaeed did most of the work and finally took down Kuril and the last of the guards. They wound their way back through the ship and headed back towards the docking bay, finding Jack in an screaming fit. "Hey!" Zaeed yelled, firing a warning shot near her head.

"What the hell do you want?" Jack sneered, her biotics flaring around her.

"We are here to pick you up," Shepard said, keeping her gun pointed at the convict.

"You must think I am pretty dumb to think I would go anywhere with Cerberus," Jack replied.

"Well, that ship is your only way out You want to rot on this fucking ship, be my guest. I am gathering people for a suicide mission. You can die here or die later," Shepard narrowed her eyes at Jack, the medication beginning to give her a pounding headache.

"Fine, but I want access to Cerberus' files. I want to know everything they've got on me," Jack asked.

"Whatever, let's go," Shepard replied.

Shepard walked towards the docking bay and stood with her hand on temple while the decontamination process began. Jack eyed Shepard and her squad mates suspiciously. They headed into the ship and watched as the prison ship exploded. Shepard called Miranda upstairs to the conference room. "I really appreciate you and the Illusive Man trying to get me killed at every possible opportunity. Seems kind of pointless to have brought me back," Shepard said angrily.

"We couldn't have anticipated what the Blue Suns would do," Miranda defended herself. "And you got the prisoner, I see," she eyed Jack.

"None of you knew there was a bounty of my head? You couldn't research your dossiers a little better? We've got a biotic psychopath on board now," Shepard sneered.

"I want to look at those files, right now," Jack said, standing behind Shepard, cracking her knuckles.

"What files?" Miranda asked.

"Give her access to the Cerberus data files," Shepard replied.

"I don't think that is a good idea," Miranda frowned.

"I don't care what you think. And find her a place to sleep."

"I can do that on my own," Jack interrupted. "Just give me my files Princess."

"Whatever you think is best," Miranda faked a smiled.

"Thanks!" Jack said sarcastically. "I will be somewhere below, isolated. I don't need anyone getting in my way."

Shepard stood with Miranda watching her with an angry expression. "They are your fucking dossiers!" Shepard replied, turning and walking out of the room. Garrus was waiting for her when she arrived at the elevator.

"Can we talk for a minute Shepard?" he asked as she called the elevator.

"Sure, come on up," Shepard said.

They rode the elevator in silence and walked into Shepard's cabin. She pulled off her armor and sat down on the couch in the shorts and tank top she wore underneath. "Have you had any of those attacks before?" he asked her.

"What attacks?" she asked.

"You don't remember?" he wondered.

"I blacked out. It must have been from one of the explosions or something," she replied.

"You had a panic attack, Shepard. You were screaming about the Normandy. It don't know what they call it in human terms, but I've seen it before in soldiers who have been through trauma. You might want to take a break."

"Are you saying I can't do my job?" she asked defensively, confused about what he was talking about.

"No Shepard, but you need to get some help for this I think. I don't imagine this will be an isolated incident."

"I appreciate your concern but I am fine," she waved him away. "I'd like to take a shower and lie down for a nap."

"Alright Shepard," he sighed. He left her cabin and went to speak with Dr. Chakwas, who echoed his concerns. They began discussing what they could do to help her.

Shepard climbed into a hot shower and let the water cascade over her. She felt awful and couldn't wait to sleep. She pulled her wet hair up into a messy bun and pressed her face firmly into her pillows, falling asleep quickly. She slept for a while, finally getting up and writing an angry email to the Illusive Man about his lack of intel.  
> <p>


	62. Merc Hunting

Shepard ignored both Garrus and Dr. Chakwas' advice to take a few days off and logged in their next flight towards the Eagle Nebula. Their next target was a Krogan Warlord who may have had contact with the Collectors. It was an interesting lead, but Shepard was not looking forward to dealing with a Krogan. She'd barely been able to control Wrex and was in no mood to deal with the like again. She brooded in her cabin, avoiding Garrus and Dr. Chakwas' concerned eyes.

She looked over the dossier on Okeer carefully, hoping to have no more surprises when they landed. With a Salarian scientist on board, Shepard wasn't about to start a Genophage debate, so she decided to bring Mordin along to see how Okeer would react. The last thing she needed was a species war while the entire galaxy was at the mercy of the Reapers. She brought Jacob along with as well, not wanting to have Garrus checking on her every five minutes. They took the shuttle to Korlus as soon as they arrived.

The planet was riddled with junked ships being taken apart for scrap. The industrial plants spewed pollution into the air. "Lovely," Shepard said sarcastically, looking out the window as the Kodiak landed. The sky was sickly gray and the sulfurous air began seeping through the oxygen scrubbers on the shuttle. Shepard stepped out onto the grimy surface, hearing a woman's voice echoing on a loud speaker.

"What in the hell is that?" Shepard asked, looking at the speaker with disdain.

"Sounds like some sort of announcement. Maybe from one of the metal plants. Okeer could be anywhere," Jacob noted.

"Not a big surprise since the Illusive Man expects me to pull miracles out of my ass," Shepard shook her head. "I saw some movement to the east when we landed. We'll check their first."

"Krogan dealing with Collectors, very bad business," Mordin blinked, picking up a curious looking scrap of metal.

"Let's see what we can find," Shepard walked off.

They moved towards a large scrapped ship and found a few dead mercenaries sprawled inside. "Blue Suns," Jacob looked at them.

"We should expect trouble," Mordin said, looking at the shotgun wounds on the bodies.

The sound of scurrying feet clanged on the metal nearby. Shepard motioned for them to take cover and watched as a small group of mercs popped out moments later. "We've got intruders," one of the men yelled, firing on them immediately.

Shepard and her team picked off the mercs quickly, Mordin proving to be an accurate shot despite his scientific background. Shepard was grateful he hadn't forgotten his STG training. The headache she'd been plagued with for days had returned and was proving distracting. As they moved on, they found a merc bemoaning a minor wound to the torso. "Yeah, it looks pretty bad," Shepard lied, pointing her gun at him. "My Salarian friend could patch it up or I can stick one of my fingers in it. What is it going to be?" she asked the merc.

"I'll do whatever you ask, just help me," the merc moaned.

"Where can we find Okeer?" Shepard asked.

"He'd be in Jedore's lab," the merc cried.

"Where is that? Who is Jedore? What exactly is going on here?"

"Okeer is growing an army for Jedore. A group of Krogans, but they are crazy. They broke loose today. I am the only one that made it out of my squad alive. If you don't help me now, I am going to die!"

"Your medical attention can wait," Shepard snarled. "How is he breeding a Krogan army? What does this Jedore want with them?"

"Do I look like a scientist to you?" he snapped.

Shepard cocked her gun and stuck it in his face. She heard a patrol call go out over his earpiece. "Give them directions in the opposite direction," she demanded.

"But that is where the Krogan went. They'd be walking into an ambush!" he protested.

She looked at him uncaring, still pointing her pistol at him. He radioed directions and sighed heavily, trying to sit up more. "Now are you going to help me?" he asked. Shepard tossed him a medical pack and walked away.

As they headed through the labyrinth of metal, they began to see evidence of the Krogan army the merc had mentioned. Their bodies lie strewn along the debris, their orange blood soaking into the ground. "Is this possible?" Shepard asked as Mordin examined the corpses.

"Krogan look full grown, but different. Would have to test for Genophage markers," he replied, collecting a few blood samples. "Failed control group maybe. Would need to see data."

The woman's voice blared over the loudspeakers again, asking for status reports from her squads. Shepard fired at the nearby speaker, shattering it into pieces. "This place is really testing my nerves," she said angrily, reloading her heat clip.

They soon found themselves surrounded by a group of Krogan who charged mercilessly at them. They had little fighting instinct besides size and fire power and were easy targets for Shepard and her squad. They could hear more gunfire close by and came across a single Krogan fighting off more than ten mercs. "Hardly seems like a fair fight," Jacob said quietly as they came up behind the Krogan. The Krogan looked back at them but did not make a move. He continued fighting the mercs who were firing on him.

"Let's help him out," Shepard said, aiming at the Blue Suns above them.

When they had fallen, the Krogan stood still, poised for another fight. Shepard kept her gun accessible and approached the young Krogan. "You are not like the others," he said, seeing her in his peripheral vision.

"No, we aren't mercs. We are here for Okeer. Are you one of his test subjects?" Shepard asked.

"I was birthed from glass mother three days ago. I do not know my origins. I heard voices in my tank. They spoke of carnage and death. I was born for this purpose," he replied.

"You are only three days old?" Shepard asked.

"Full grown Krogan, curious," Mordin added.

"Where is Okeer?" Jacob asked.

"He is slave to her," the Krogan motioned towards the speaker. "I was not perfect so I was discarded."

"Can you show us this lab?" Shepard asked.

The Krogan nodded, pulling away a heavy scrap of metal. "Do you want to come with us?" Shepard asked.

"No, I must stay and fight until I am dead. That is what I am made for. That is my purpose," he replied.

They left the Krogan outside and headed down into the hidden bunker. Shepard felt pity for the Krogan. He'd been bred with an unquenchable blood lust and nothing else. They went cautiously inside, walking down the blood soaked ramp. They ran into another horde of aggressive Krogan who fought clumsily and only on instinct. Their tactics became predictable and fell despite their superior fire power. All of the mercs inside had been slaughtered and Jedore was still yelling angrily over the speaker.

"Sounds like we are finally getting their attention," Jacob smiled slightly.

They continued through the ruined ships, following the packs of mercs. They eventually found a larger lab where Okeer was still at work. "I've watched you on the security cams, you certainly took your time," Okeer snarled without turning from his console. "I am assuming you are here for me, Shepard."

"How do you know who I am?" Shepard asked.

"All Krogans should know the name of the one who destroyed Saren's breeding facility," he replied.

"I did what was necessary. I make no excuses for that."

"I agree with your decision. Saren's horde was weak. I've bred and flushed hundreds until I finally got one perfect soldier."

"Tell me about the Collectors?"

"You get right to the point," he laughed. "We made an exchange. They gave me tech, in exchange I gave them Krogan."

"Any idea what they wanted your Krogan for?

"That is immaterial. With their technology, I created my legacy," he proudly pointed to the single young Krogan in its tank.

"Well, let's get the hell out of here then," Shepard motioned with her arm.

"I do not think Jedore will make it that easy," Okeer answered.

"I'll take care of her, just tell me where to find her."

"She will be over there in her stronghold. I will prepare for our departure."

They headed through the doors and down to where Okeer had instructed them. They found Jedore waiting for them. "Troublemakers!" she yelled. "No doubt cohorts with Okeer. Well, his little project is about to be scrapped. We'll start over with the research," she added.

Shepard tossed an incineration grenade in her direction and took cover, hearing the footsteps of a heavy mech coming their way. The mech was relentless and Jedore hid behind it, taking shots at them when the mech turrets needed cooling. Shepard and Jacob kept the mech occupied while Mordin tried to hack into its controls. It finally exploded in a flash, sending Jedore tumbling backwards. Shepard used the distraction to flank her and took her down with a few rounds from her heavy pistol. By now Shepard's head was pounding and she couldn't wait to return to her cabin.

When they returned to Okeer's lab, they found the remaining tanks flushed save the perfect Krogan. Okeer lie dead in front of his console, his entire cache of data was on the screen in front of him. "Jedore must have flushed the tanks," Jacob said.

"How did Okeer save this one?" Shepard asked, looking into the tank.

"Krogan made with Collector technology, very curious," Mordin stared into the tank as well.

"I guess we should take him with us, if Okeer was willing to die for him," Shepard remarked.

She called the Normandy to find a landing zone for the Kodiak and bring in a hover dolly. The tank and Krogan weighed nearly a ton combined. Once the tank was on board, they placed it in the cargo bay. "What are you planning on doing with the Krogan Commander?" Miranda asked in their debriefing.

"I'm waking him up. If he was bred with Collector technology, maybe he can tell us something about them."

"Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Did the Illusive Man tell you to question all of my decisions?" Shepard snapped back. "If it gets out of control, I'll shoot it. I've dealt with a Krogan before."

She walked off muttering under her breath and took the elevator down to the cargo hold. She approached the tank cautiously, remember the few clashes she had with Wrex. She wondered where he had gone after he disappeared from the Normandy without a word. 'What is the worst he could do?' she thought to herself as she opened the tank. The organic-smelling fluid spilled out onto the floor and the young Krogan fell forward. He stood up slowly, blinked his eyes and immediately slammed Shepard into the wall. She could barely breathe as his strong hand wrapped around her throat tighter.

"Take it easy," she croaked. "I am a friend."

"Who are you?" he snarled.

"Shepard of the Normandy."

"What is my name?"

"He didn't give you one. You can call yourself whatever you want."

"Come at with with anything you've got!"

"What?" she said, her vision becoming hazy.

"Try to kill me," he snarled, releasing her throat.

She fell to the ground coughing loudly and clutched her throat. "I have no reason to want to kill you," she replied.

"But I want to kill something," he growled.

"I've killed hundreds of people. I'll take you anywhere you want to kill people," she replied, taking in deep breaths.

He looked into her eyes and could see the truth hidden behind her fear. "Alright, I will follow you, for now. You may call me Grunt."

"Whatever you say," she said, hunched over and grasping her throat. "I'll get Rupert to clean this up."

She left the cargo bay still dizzy and stumbled into the elevator. Garrus got climbed in on the crew deck and stared at Shepard. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked, looking at the giant bruise on her throat.

"Just making nice with our new Krogan friend," she replied. "You know of any merc bases near here?"

"Are you sure you are alright?" he looked concerned.

"Fine," she waved him off.

Garrus got off on the CIC deck, nodding a goodbye to Shepard. She returned to her cabin and looked at her throat in the mirror. "Shit," she said aloud, looking at the bruise. She swallowed hard and felt pain. She pulled off her clothes for a shower and noticed that one of her scars had opened up, revealing the glowing cybernetics underneath. "Shit!" she said louder. She pulled on a robe and called Dr. Chakwas to come look at it.

"What happened?" Dr. Chakwas gasped, looking at the open wound.

"I don't know, it doesn't hurt," Shepard said, touching the side of the wound. "Shouldn't it hurt?"

"I am going to need to do a full body check," Dr. Chakwas replied.

"Can it wait?" Shepard asked. "I'm exhausted."

"I'd prefer not," Dr. Chakwas shook her head.

"I will come down tomorrow. I want to get some sleep," Shepard lied. She knew should wouldn't voluntary go down to get checked out.

"Fine, I will get a station prepared for you," the doctor nodded. She left Shepard alone and began looking through her medical journals.

Shepard showered and climbed into bed, her throat still burning mildly. She didn't bother looking over any more dossiers. Their next destination could wait until the morning. The annoying sensation in her throat kept her up for a while, so she switched on a vid. The title was deceiving and the vid ended up being some drawn out romantic yarn. "Give me a fucking break," Shepard said, throwing the console remote across the room. She slept fitfully and eventually climbed out of bed. She stared at her fish for a while before finally drifting off to sleep on the couch.  
> <p>


	63. 1000 Laps

Shepard was startled awake by the console next to her buzzing loudly. She pulled her head up from the couch and looked at the angry orange call light. "I hate you," she narrowed her eyes at the button. She'd been deep in REM sleep and the sudden awakening was jarring. She pressed the button and snarled, "Is there a fucking reason you are waking me up?"

"Um, the Illusive Man would like to speak to you," Kelly spoke hesitantly.

"Great," Shepard said, rolling off the couch.

She trudged down to the conference room without even changing or brushing her hair. She stood with arms crossed as the Illusive Man appeared before her. "I am sorry to disturb your rest Commander, but we have big news," he said immediately.

"Save the pleasantries," she frowned. "What's the news?"

"The colony Horizon has gone silent. We think it is the next Collector target. We might finally be able to catch them," he said excitedly.

"You seem pretty happy that another colony is being attacked."

"This means we finally have them Shepard. I have already taken the liberty of setting a new course with your pilot. You will be on the colony tomorrow. Has Dr. Solus perfected a countermeasure?"

"Not perfected."

"Then let's hope he is good with deadlines. There is another item I think I should tell you about. One of your former crew is stationed on Horizon." Shepard didn't respond, not reacting to his words even though her stomach had flipped.

"Staff Commander Alenko has been stationed there for nearly a year. He is supposedly apart of some Alliance outreach program. We assume it is a cover for something else."

"I thought his location was classified?" Shepard replied, trying to hide her excitement.

"We have ways of getting information."

"I'll bet," Shepard waved him away.

"Good luck Shepard," he signed off.

Shepard stood in the conference room for a moment, silently contemplating what she had just heard. Could it really be true or was it just another ploy to get Shepard to play ball? What would Kaidan be doing in the Terminus? Her mind began to race with the possibilities and her entire body was shaking. She was full of nervous energy and decided to run laps around the cargo bay. After a few hundred laps around the Kodiak, Jack showed up, smirking at Shepard.

"Well aren't you just a ball of energy," Jack laughed sarcastically.

"Did you get what you were looking for in your files?" Shepard panted, slightly annoyed at being bothered.

"I am still looking," Jack replied. "What the hell are you doing running in circles?"

"Why does it concern you?"

"Why so snippy Shepard? Not getting laid?"

"Neither are you," Shepard smirked, talking another extended lap around the Kodiak.

"I could get laid if I wanted to," Jack boasted.

"Who?" Shepard laughed as she passed her again. "Jacob? As if you don't have enough issues with Miranda."

"What about Joker?"

"You'd break him."

"What?"

"Yep, snap him like a twig."

Jack fumbled with something for a while and eventually disappeared again while Shepard continued doing laps. She ran until she had shaken out all of her excitement and returned to her cabin to shower. She sat down at her console and called a meeting for later in the day. Mordin was almost certain his countermeasure would work, but no one else seemed as confident as he did, however. "We will need to go in stealth," Shepard replied. "I need my two best people with me."

"I've got this Shepard, you can count on me," Garrus volunteered first.

"Either Jacob or myself will need to go as well," Miranda interrupted him.

"So Cerberus can get in on the glory," Shepard replied with disdain in her voice. Miranda looked back at her with a dour expression. "Suit yourself, but we will be going fast. If we beat the Collectors to Horizon, we will try to set up an ambush."

"What if we don't beat them there?" Jacob asked.

"Then we kill them all and save who we can." She walked out of the meeting without adding anything else. The thought of Kaidan being taken by the Collectors was terrifying to her. She returned to her cabin and tried to keep herself occupied. Her thoughts wandered back and forth from hopefulness to paranoia. "Would he join her on the ship? Would he have a wife or girlfriend at his side? A child?" She began making herself sick with worry.

She thought about how much she had opened up to him. She'd told him a lot of personal things, things she hadn't even told her VI therapist. She hadn't allowed herself to love anyone after her parents had died. Even if she never told Kaidan outright that she loved him, she knew she did.

She was still tired but knew she wouldn't sleep on her own with Kaidan on her mind. She didn't want to call Dr. Chakwas, fearing she would want to examine her. Shepard wondered if Kasumi would steal some sleeping pills for her and was tempted to call down but thought the idea ridiculous. 'This is my damn ship!' Shepard thought to herself as she rode down to the medical bay. She found the bay empty and grabbed a few capsules.

She returned upstairs and popped a few of the pills and took a long relaxing shower. She climbed into bed with an exciting thought in her head. 'Kaidan could be sleeping in this bed tomorrow night!' She couldn't wait to she him and wrap her arms around him. If the Collectors were there, none of them would stand in her way.  
> <p>


	64. No Words

Shepard woke up groggy from taking too many sleeping pills and dragged herself out of bed. Her vision was still a little blurry and after a few fumbles she managed to call Joker. "Any word from the colony? How far out are we?"

"We've still got about six hours until we reach visual range," he responded back. "The colony is still silent as far as I can tell. Nothing new on the Cerberus channels and they'd be the ones to know."

"Can't this fucking ship go any faster?" She ran her hand over her face in frustration. She hadn't meant to say it loud enough for him to hear her. She couldn't imagine waiting six hours to know.

"Yes, I will just switch to my faster than FTL drive," Joker laughed.

"Shut up!" Shepard sneered and turned off the comm.

'What the hell do I do for six hours?' she thought to herself as she climbed into the shower. She needed to wash her hair and made sure to rinse it out so it would shine. She wanted everything to look perfect when she saw Kaidan again. She looked in the mirror and scrutinized her face. Her nose was smaller than she remembered or maybe her vision was still blurry. The scar still gaped on her shoulder, so she tried to cover it with a micro bandage.

She wondered how he would react to her scarred body. He'd once traced his fingers along the one's she had before. The one of her right knee where she'd knelt in broken glass, the one under her chin from a frag explosion. The worst had been the scar on her shoulder where'd she'd been shot on Mindoir. Now it was covered in even larger ones that wrapped down her arm. She could do nothing about the scars and pulled on the thin suit she wore under her armor. She'd be ready to go at a moment's notice.

She did anything she could to take her mind off Horizon. She laughed a little, thinking it cliché that she and Kaidan might ride off into the horizon together. "What a stupid name for a colony," she said aloud, biding her time throwing rolled up stockings through her empty display case. After running out of socks, she fed the fish and tried to clean her cabin a little bit. She'd still been eating by herself and had to brush crumbs off of everything. She set the little robotic vacuum after what she'd tossed on the floor.

An hour before they were supposed to arrive, she changed into her armor and cleaned all her weapons. Garrus wandered into the armory and picked up his sniper rifle. "Are you ready for this?"

"Of course," Shepard replied. She hoped he wasn't going to bother her about her health, mental or otherwise.

"If Mordin's countermeasure doesn't work, we'll be sitting ducks. That's the human term right?"  
>"Yeah, it is. If Mordin's countermeasure doesn't work, I will drive that fucking Collector ship back and beat Mordin with the one horn he has left."<p>

"I'll be right behind you," he laughed.

"I want to go over the last known map of the colony with you and Miranda. We need to know choke points, ambush areas, the works."

"I've just got to clean the sight on this. I think Grunt, or whatever you call him has been in here playing with stuff. You're lucky he hasn't shot himself yet."

"I'll see if someone can keep him entertained. Maybe Yeoman Chambers."

"She's a strange one that girl. Asks me weird questions in the mess. She wanted to know if I'd ever seen a vid called Scales and Tails 4, I'd never heard of it."

Shepard almost burst with laughter but contained herself, turning from Garrus with a red face. She'd seen the vid mentioned in a copy of Fornax once. The issue had been about inter-species fetish smut vids. With the collection he tried to hid in engineering, she wondered how he'd never heard of it. He noticed her with her hand on her mouth and asked her what was wrong. "Oh, nothing," a peal of laughter stole from her mouth.

The more she thought about, the funnier it was. Kelly was trying to flirt with him and he was oblivious. She couldn't contain her laughter and let it out, doubling over. "What is so funny Shepard?" he asked, a little annoyed if she was laughing at his expense.

"That movie," she gasped between laughs. "It's… a….. human-turian fetish vid." She really didn't know why it seemed so funny to her, but she couldn't stop laughing.

"That, uh. No, I'd never watch something like that. Inter-species, I just."

"What about Tali? You liked her and she wasn't Turian?" she finally contained her laughter.

"Well, I guess we are a little closer in anatomy than with humans. I don't understand what you do with all those fingers."

Shepard lost it again and leaned on the armory bench, her sides hurting. "I've got to get out of here before I piss myself," she tried to catch her breath. Garrus shook his head at her, wondering if he would ever understand human humor. He was happy to see her laugh again and tried to clean the smears off his scope. It smelled like fish and he knew it had to be Grunt.

Shepard left the armory, wiping a few tears that had come out. She went to the ready room to look over the map and keep a close eye on their arrival into the Iera system. She had a good feeling and had a plan of where they needed to go. Some of the other crew joined her and discussed the mission. When they got near enough to get a reading from the planet, EDI alerted them that the Collectors already appeared to be there. "Fuck!" Shepard said under her breath.

"This area here will give us the best cover, regardless of where the Collector ship is," Miranda pointed.

"We'll drop the Kodiak here and do what we can from the ground. Keep the Normandy out of sight. I don't need to lose another ship," Shepard replied, her stomach already knotting. Her lightened mood instantly disappeared. She practically ran to the Kodiak to wait, even if they wouldn't hit the surface for another half an hour. 'Kaidan, where are you?' she repeated to herself.

They finally set off in the shuttle and landed at the drop point. They climbed out alert, still unsure if the counter measure would work. The seeker swarms seem to take no notice of them for the moment, so they moved briskly from building to building, always keeping covered. They passed several empty buildings before making any sort of contact. Shepard could hear a buzzing above and spread her team out. "It sounds like we have hostiles in bound," she said, looking up at the grey sky. Three winged Collectors landed nearby and began scouring the area.

"It looks like they know we are here," Garrus said.

"Let's make certain of it," Shepard replied, pulling out her sniper rifle. She aimed the scope dead center on the hideous Collector and shot it between one of its pair of eyes.

"How do you like that you son of a bitch!" Shepard taunted.

Garrus picked off a second Collector before Shepard killed the third. "Well, they die like anything else. They aren't getting off this planet alive."

The Collectors had strange plasma weapons that scorched everything they touched and Shepard stopped to study one of them. "Let's pack one of these up for study. It looks similar to their ship weapons. If we can counter those, we will have them."

"Where are all the colonists? They can't have taken all of them yet?" Miranda asked.

"This looks like one of the disused areas of the colony, maybe once we get closer we'll find someone," Garrus replied.

"Joker, any reads on human bio signatures?" Shepard radioed.

"Negative Commander, I can barely hear you," he replied, breaking up intermittently.

"The Collectors must be blocking communications," Miranda pulled out her sputtering ear piece.  
>"We need to keep contact with the Normandy. Garrus, keep trying to boost our signal," Shepard ordered.<p>

They continued on with more Collector drones heading to their location. A terrifying gurgle could be heard around a the side of a building and Shepard surprised a pair of Husks. She let loose a frightened biotic blast. "What are these things doing here?" Garrus asked as more Husks rushed towards them. A husk closed in towards Garrus, but Miranda sent it slamming to the ground.

"I guess that confirms the Collectors are working for the Reapers," Miranda said, looking over the machine carcasses.

"These can't be the colonists, these things look different. And I haven't seen any Dragon's Teeth around," Shepard replied. "It doesn't make sense."

"The Collectors must have brought them," Garrus surmised.

Shepard hurried them along, beginning to fear each moment she hadn't found Kaidan. They ran straight into an ambush in the middle of a large plaza. There was little cover, so they had to duck behind the large organic pods the Collectors transported their victims in. As Shepard peered over to fire, she saw the human inside follow her with his eyes. "They are still alive!" Shepard yelled.

"What can they be doing with living victims?" Miranda yelled back.

As they passed more pods, Shepard began checking each one for Kaidan. A pit of fear was beginning to grow in her stomach. They rushed on as fast as they could move and kill Collectors in their way. They came across another group of Collectors still busy tossing bodies into pods. The frozen figures outside the pods were paralyzed in place. They killed the Collectors quickly and looked over the victims.

"This is horrible!" Shepard exclaimed, seeing a man clutching at his wife. She could see their eyes watching her, pleading for help.

"We are going to figure out how to get you out here," Shepard said, hoping they could hear her.

"What about those GARDIAN towers?" Garrus asked, looking up the hill at the enormous gun at the top.

"They should have shot both of us down," Shepard said. "Have you boosted our signal yet?"

"We can try to radio again. I am having a hard time getting around the Collectors' jamming signal."

"Joker," Shepard called. "Can you read me?"

"Barely, Commander," Joker replied, breaking up again. She got only static on her call back. "Damn it," she yelled aloud, kicking at a nearby pod.

She heard more incoming Collectors and stood defensively. Among them, a fiery Collector walked freely among their gunfire, nearly invincible to their rounds. He was contained in a biotic aura and seemed only to pay attention to Shepard. "Did that fucking thing just call my name?" Shepard said, firing an entire clip at the creature until it was reduced to nothing. "What is that thing?"

"I doubt attacking the Normandy was a coincidence. We think they were targeting you specifically. This seems to confirm it."

Shepard felt a sense of doom washing over her. "Why me?" she said to herself.

They killed the remaining Collectors and found a building with it's security lock engaged. "Someone had to lock this. Maybe there are survivors inside," Garrus wondered, working at the lock. Shepard hoped that it was Kaidan and waited for the door to open.

When the doors slide open, the room appeared to be empty. As they stepped inside, they heard the brief shuffle of feet. "Who's there? Come out now or I start shooting," Shepard called out.

"I thought I was the only one left," a man crawled out from under a table.

"What are you doing in here?" Shepard asked.

"Hiding from those things! What do you think I am doing in here?" he replied.

"Tell me about the attack," Shepard asked.

"First our comm signals went down, then those swarms came. Once I saw those creatures, I hid inside here."

"You hid like a coward? Why not help?" Miranda asked.

"Hey, I didn't sign up for this. This is the Alliance's fault. They sent that Alliance pretty boy here, Alenko. He led those creatures right to us."

"Alenko? Kaidan Alenko?" Garrus asked and turned to Shepard.

Shepard's heart leap at the confirmation that Kaidan was on Horizon. "Tell me all you know about him?" Shepard asked angrily. "What is he doing here?"

"He was getting the defense towers running, though he sure wasn't doing a good job. I think he was spying on us. Damn Alliance bastards!" he replied.

"You better shut your mouth!" Shepard yelled right in his face. "Why aren't they working?"

"Who knows? The Alliance gave it to us. They expect to protect us with a worthless hunk of junk. I think I heard him mention the calibration controls."

"EDI," Shepard radioed, finally able to get through. "Can you access the target controls for these GARDIAN towers?"

"You would need to connect the targeting computer via omni-tool," EDI responded.

"Where is the terminal?" Shepard asked.

"On the other side of the colony," the mechanic replied.

"It's our only chance. Let's move," Shepard ordered. She didn't care about the mechanic, the very mention of Kaidan's name had her reeling. 'He is here. They might have him. I've got to stop them from leaving.' she thought to herself as she ran ahead.

She was relentless and pulled out her rifle again and quickly picked off more of the Collectors. The glowing Collector returned again, much to the dismay of the team. "Didn't I already kill this guy?" Shepard asked, firing upon it again. He continued towards her, calling himself Harbinger. She knew they didn't have time and charged her sniper rifle. The high power shot rang through the air directly at him and he disappeared again. As they continued on, there was a noticeable absence of colonists.

"There should be more," Garrus wondered.

"They must already be on the ship," Shepard's heart sank, knowing Kaidan was more than likely on board.

They finally spotted the targeting console in a large plaza of crates and supplies. Shepard quickly hacked into the controls with her omni-tool, connecting it to EDI. "I can correct all the targeting errors but power must be rerouted from colony resources," EDI announced.

"That is going to draw attention to us," Garrus said.

"Power up these guns EDI, we will protect the controls," Shepard ordered. "Let's stake out some good cover."

They found defensive positions and waited for the inevitable onslaught. It didn't take long for more Collector drones to zero in on their location. With the squad's excellent defense, the stream of Collectors fell easily. When there was a brief lull, Shepard and her squad took a quick breath. They gathered up what ammo they could find and prepared for another wave. "How much longer on the power?" Shepard asked.

"Power is currently at fifty percent," EDI answered.

"Damn it, hurry it up," Shepard said under her breath.

As she turned back to her post she was surprised by a group of Husks that had scaled the building behind her. She found herself in the crossfire of several hostiles. She jumped over some railing and tumbled onto the grass below. She quickly fired and spun around to shoot the other enemies. The Harbinger figure returned once again, taking possession of one of the mindless drones. She could barely believe what she had seen.

The remaining hostiles finally fell as Shepard began feeling light headed. She had little energy left and needed to rest. "Shepard, there is something big heading your way," Joker radioed. "Big enough to show up on radar."

"Great," Shepard pulled herself up from the crate she had leaned against. She pressed the last of her stims into her system, but knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

She could see the large object coming towards them. It was insect-like, filled with Husks that had been melded together. It looked like the remnants of a horrible experiment gone wrong. Shepard cocked her gun and took a deep breath. The giant Praetorian descended and immediately fired its powerful beam weapon at them. Shepard could smell the scorching metal of the crate she was crouched behind. When the Praetorian finally let up, she moved from cover and fired. Her heavy rounds didn't make a dent. "Fuck!" she swore, hiding behind cover again.

The powerful beam weapon vibrated against the crate. Shepard crawled quickly to another crate, feeling the heat begin to seep to the side she leaned against. A dead Collector lie nearby, still clutching his weapon. Shepard grabbed the gun and surveyed the controls. They were so simple, a child could fire it. Shepard powered it up and prepared to fire at the Praetorian. "Give me cover fire!" Shepard yelled.

With the distraction, she fired the weapon, the force nearly taking her off her feet. The beam ripped through the barrier of the creature quickly. Shepard hid again and readied for another round. "Keep distracting it. I'll kill this fucking thing with their own weapons!" She flanked the Praetorian and fired again. The Husks inside cried out, exploding from the hard outer shell of the construct. She could hear the GARDIAN guns beginning to power up. "How are we doing?" Shepard radioed.

"Towers are now at full power. Targeting the Collector vessel now," EDI responded.

"Target the engines only. We don't want them to get away, but we need to save the colonists," Shepard called.

The guns blasted at the ship as it began to ascend. "No! Come on, come on!" Shepard yelled, seeing the ship entering the high atmosphere.

"Damn it, they pulled out too soon, their engines are still working," Miranda sighed heavily, seeing the giant Collector vessel taking off.

"No!" Shepard screamed, flinging the Collector gun into the sky. She pulled off her stifling helmet and smashed it repeatedly against one of the scorched crates.

"What are you doing? Stop them!" the mechanic yelled, coming from one of the buildings.

"We did all that we could," she spat, her face bright red. "What the fuck did you do?" She strode up into his face.

"Come on Shepard, we need to get back to the ship and report back to the Illusive Man," Miranda said. She pulled Shepard away from the mechanic and called the Normandy to send in the Kodiak.

"No, we need to go after that fucking ship." Shepard's voice broke and she felt on the edge of breaking down.

"Shepard? You're Shepard? You're supposed to be some kind of hero. I saw your face on a magazine," the mechanic said, looking suspiciously.

"She saved the entire galaxy, she's a legend and a ghost," a voice called from inside one of the buildings.

Shepard knew the voice instantly and felt light-headed. She pressed her hand against a crate to steady herself as Kaidan climbed out one of the buildings ruined by the beam weapon. He locked eyes with Shepard's as he approached her. "Everyone thought you were dead. I, what are you doing here? Is it really you?" Kaidan added. His eyes looked upon her in disbelief.

"I can't believe you are safe. I thought they'd taken you." A moment ago, she'd lost all hope and now he was standing in front of her like a dream.

She stumbled towards him and embraced him tightly. She felt her entire body fall into his arms. His face leaned into her neck and he bent to hug her. The soft beard he'd grown tickled her neck. "You grew a beard," she touched his face, her fingers trembling uncontrollably. He pulled away from her slightly and looked in her eyes.

"Why didn't you contact me? I've been through hell these last two year thinking you were dead."  
>"I couldn't," she shook her head, fighting off tears of happiness. "I was, I." She fumbled her words, unable to think of anything to say to him. How could she explain that his two years had been two months to her?<p>

"So you just show up here after two years, without a word? I loved you Shepard and you didn't even care."

"What?" Shepard asked, taken aback by his sudden angry tone. "I have only been conscious for a few months. Cerberus brought me back from the dead. I was trying to find you but everyone told me you were on a classified mission." His eyes flashed when she mentioned Cerberus.

"I am," he nodded. "I was sent here to investigate Cerberus. We received intel that they were behind the attacks. And there were rumors that you were working for them. I defended you in front of the Council, told them you would never do such a thing. Now I see it was my mistake." He finally lowered his gaze from hers and stepped away from her.

"No, I am not working for them. I am here to save these colonists. Cerberus has the resources to do so. It is more than the Alliance is doing."

"So you've turned your back on the Alliance? Betrayed us, betrayed me?"

"I would never do that?" Shepard protested, her heart beginning to ache. "I am using them to stop these attacks."

"I want to believe you, Shepard. But you are working for Cerberus. How can I ever trust you again? I was at your side when we took down those labs. We both saw what they did! They are terrorists and they need to be stopped."

"Shepard, we should get going, we don't need to waste our time explaining ourself to the Alliance," Miranda said from behind her.

"Stay out of this Miranda!" Shepard yelled angrily. She motioned for Kaidan to walk with her. "Please Kaidan, listen to me. The Collectors are working for the Reapers. And I am trying to stop them. You can help me. Just come with me."

"I can't Shepard. You are with Cerberus now. And my allegiance is with the Alliance. I need to check on what colonists are left and contact the Citadel," he said, turning away from her.

"Don't leave, please, I lov," Shepard cried out.

"Don't say it," Kaidan said solemnly, turning to give her one last glance. "I'm sorry Shepard. Take care of yourself."

He turned and headed back towards the main settlement. Shepard stood speechless, tears rolling down her face. Her stomach ached and her throat was so tight she could barely breath.

"Shepard," Garrus said quietly, setting his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's get the hell out of here," she replied, brushing his talons from her shoulder angrily. She wiped the tears from her eyes and bent to pick up her helmet.

The Kodiak landed nearby and Shepard stepped aboard without another word. A small science team disembarked and began gathering remnants of the Collector corpses and any pods, weapons, and tech left behind. Shepard sat with her head down and bolted for the doors as soon as they returned to the Normandy. She stormed into the armory, locking the door behind her and began tearing the armor from her body.

She was overwhelmed by rage and sadness. Her hands began to glow as her biotics flared up involuntarily. She sent an ammo crate toppling over as she let out an angry scream. She picked the crate up and slammed it against the wall as the tears began to overwhelm her again. She continued to rage with her under used biotic abilities, tossing and tearing anything she saw in front of her. She could feel her head throbbing where her implant had been installed by Cerberus. She wanted to rip it out of her head. She never wanted any of this and wished for it all to end. The pain continued and she eventually collapsed and fell into unconsciousness, her amp overloaded by overuse. 


	65. Nothing But A Dead Hero

Shepard woke up in the medical bay, her head still pounding. She only remembered bits and pieces of what had happened before she blacked out. She opened her eyes and found Garrus sitting at her side. "Try to take it easy Shepard," Garrus said quietly when he saw her awaken.

"What did I do this time?" she asked.

"You made quite a mess of the armory. We had to override the controls to the door to get it open and you were passed out inside. The doctor thinks you overloaded your biotic amp. You will probably have to get a new one installed."

"I don't want it," Shepard sighed, turning one her side to look at Garrus. She remembered what she had been so angry about. Kaidan had been inches from her and now he was probably gone forever. He would never forgive her for working for Cerberus and she thought it better that they'd left her dead. She hadn't saved the colonist that had been taken on the Collector ship and was no closer to tracking them down.

"Shepard, I am sorry for what happened down there, with Alenko."

"Me too," she frowned, his name bringing back the horrible, faded memory.

"I'd have kicked Alenko's ass for how he talked to you, but I know he cares about you."

"I doubt that."

"He does and so do I. A lot of people care about you Shepard. You are an amazing woman. I'd give anything to mate with a Turian woman like you, um, I didn't mean that, um." He shook his head in embarrassment.

"I understand what you are trying to say," Shepard tried to manage an awkward smile. "I wouldn't have made it this far without you here. And I only expect things to get worse."

"You need to take care of yourself Shepard. You can't take this all on you. No one is strong enough to carry a burden this big by themselves. The crew is here for you."

"Kaidan gave me a similar speech once and now he's gone."

"He's not gone, Shepard. He is going his own way. If it is though the Alliance, that is the way it has to be. Try not to think about it and get some more rest."

"Yeah." She raised a listless hand goodbye and rolled over to try to sleep. It wasn't easy on the hard table but she was medicated and soon drifted off. She awoke when Dr. Chakwas came in a little while later.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Chakwas asked, looking her over.

"Like I have died all over again." Shepard sat up and rubbed her fingers across her eyes.

"I want you to take these." Dr. Chakwas handed her a few small capsules. "They are antidepressants."

"You think I crazy?"

"You've been through a lot. Too much for one person to bear. I don't want you harming yourself again."

"I wasn't harming myself, I was just mad."

"And you blew out a biotic implant. I have never seen that happen. Please Shepard, you have people that care about you." She held the pills out towards Shepard.

Shepard took the capsules and swallowed them reluctantly. "Wait a few days. they should help. Kaidan took your death very hard Shepard. Imagine what it must have been like for you to suddenly be in front of him again." Chakwas put a hand on her shoulder.

"But how could he just leave like that?" Shepard sniffled. "And I still couldn't tell him I loved him. He didn't even want to hear it."

"Give him time," Chakwas said, hugging her for comfort's sake.

Chakwas escorted her upstairs and put her into bed with a mild sedative. She left a container of antidepressants next to the bed with a note. Shepard woke up late in the night, her body numb and her eyes swollen. She dragged herself to the bathroom and sat in a long shower for nearly an hour. She couldn't even bear to look at herself in the mirror. She could feel the spot behind her ear where they'd shaved her hair to access her implant. She wanted to rip it out of her head, along with everything else Cerberus had put inside her body.

The hot shower relaxed her enough that she was able to go back to sleep for a while. When she woke again she didn't feel much better. This wasn't the life she wanted but there was nothing she could do about it. She'd been a ghost for two years and no one seemed to remember her. Her name had been at the tip of everyone's tongue before she died and now she was nothing. She was a traitor according to Kaidan.

She eyed the antidepressants Chakwas had set by her bed. She'd taken meds after Mindoir and Elysium and nothing could make her feel any worse. She swallowed the pills with a bottle of water, her stomach aching for food. She hadn't eaten for more than a day, but she felt no desire to eat. She sat at her desk for a while, mindlessly browsing some new files Cerberus had sent over. She felt such an overwhelming hatred for them that she decided to go down and give the Illusive Man a piece of her mind.

She brought up the quantum entanglement and stood waiting for the Illusive Man to appear. "Shepard, how are you feeling?" he asked right away. "I heard you fell ill after the mission on Horizon.

"I guess you could say that." Her was abrupt at best. "I heard you've been spreading rumors that I am working for you. Long before I woke up."

"I suspected the Collectors were targeting you personally, this got you on their radar," he replied.

"And put my friends and I in serious danger. I've had about all I can stand of this bullshit. Your flawed dossiers, your shitty intel. What the fuck do you expect me to do?"

"Relax Commander, Horizon was a victory. We gained a lot of valuable information."

"At what cost? If you ever put one of my people in jeopardy again, I will kill you myself. I will track you down, shoot you full on holes and pour Batarian acid in the wounds."

"I don't want your past relationships clouding your judgment Shepard. I need you at the top of your game. Sometimes we have to leave things behind."

"Fuck you!"

"You to be fully invested in this mission, if we get though the relay there may be no coming back."

"It's not your concern, I am running the show here. Do you have anything useful to give me? The shit on my desktop means nothing."

"Since you seem to enjoy rehashing the past, your old ship mate Dr. Tsoni has been spotted on Illium. It seems she's been dealing with the Shadow Broker. She could provide us with some solid information. There are also two more operatives you can pick up while you are there."

"Blow me." She shut off the entanglement and ran a hand over her face. She still felt horrible and wanted to crawl back into bed. She left the conference room and headed over to the bridge to check with Joker. Kelly stopped her and tried to console her. "How are you feeling Commander?"

"I am living in a nightmare, but who is complaining."

"I am sorry to hear what happened yesterday. I always thought those pictures of you were cute," Kelly added with sympathy in her tone.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Um," Kelly paused.

"Well, spit it out!" Shepard yelled.

Kelly looked at her with startled eyes and mumbled an apology. Shepard shook her head and stormed away towards the cockpit. "How are you feeling?" Joker asked, turning around in his chair.

"If one more person ask me that I am going to rip of their head and let Grunt play with their spine."

"Sorry," Joker apologized, taken aback by her mood. "I just heard some things, you know, scuttlebutt. But for what it's worth, I thought you two were a cute couple."

"Does everyone on the fucking ship know I got dumped yesterday?"

"I was just talking to Garrus. I'm sorry I brought it up." He lowered his eyes and hoped she would go away.

"Well how does Yeoman Chambers know? She said something about pictures."

"Uh," Joker paused, eyeing Shepard's balled fists. "Have you ever searched for yourself on the extranet? I am just saying."

"Just head to Illium. We are going to see Liara."

"Whatever you want Commander," Joker nodded and turned back to his controls with a happy sigh.

Shepard was curious why everyone now seemed to know about her relationship with Kaidan. She thought they'd hidden it well the short time they were together. She returned to her cabin and typed her named in the extranet browser. There were a few mentions of her death and her defense of the Citadel, but her eyes stopped on a bright headline pasted on a photo. "Hero Frolics With Subordinate Boytoy."

The picture was one among many of Shepard and Kaidan on shore leave. The largest, the one with the headline, was of Shepard and Kaidan kissing in the water. The photos had been taken with a super telephoto lens. "Son of a bitch," she said aloud, reading the copy from the gossip magazine. The story had been leaked only a few days before the Normandy had been destroyed.

The article outed their relationship and began questioning Shepard's command and position in the Alliance Navy. It mentioned that the Alliance was going to begin its own investigation. Whether or not that was true, Shepard had never heard anything before her death. She scrolled to the bottom of the article and found the author's name. "Khalisah al-Jilani, that evil bitch!" Shepard narrowed her eyes.

She began typing off a threatening email to Westerlund News, but stopped to look through some of the other pictures. She looked happy with Kaidan. In every photo they were embracing or kissing. She shut off the screen abruptly in anger. She couldn't stop the angry tears from rolling down her face. That week had been one of the best moments of her life. She hated her life and what the Collectors and Cerberus had done to it.

'I didn't ask to brought back, I am better off dead.' She thought in her head as the depressing thoughts began to consume her. 'What use am I to anyone? I am already on a suicide mission, what is stopping me from ending it all now?' She cried until she was sick to her stomach, but there was nothing for her to retch up besides the water and antidepressants. She buried her face in her bed and tried to sleep but nothing could give her solace.  
> <p>


	66. Unfinished Business

***Going to try to get to the end of the events of Mass Effect 2 before March 6th! (I broke down and got ME2 for PS3 since my Xbox is still broken) With source material available, I might be able to do it! I appreciate your reviews, they motivate me to push on when I hit the wall!***

Shepard woke up, realizing she had fallen asleep after collapsing on her bed in tears. Her face was tight where her tears had dried. Her eyes and head both ached alike. She still hadn't eaten and her she stomach felt violently ill. She called Yeoman Chambers on her console. "Can you bring me up some food, and some ice?" She hoped it would help both her head and swollen eyes.

It wasn't Kelly who brought up the food and ice, but Dr. Chakwas. "I wanted to check in and see how you were feeling. I'd like to take a look at the scar I patched up as well."

"Have at it." Shepard pulled up her sleeve and took a tentative bite of food. The doctor peeled away the nano bandage and frowned. "What's the verdict?" Shepard didn't bother to swallow the food before speaking.

"Your body has stopped healing itself for some reason. It could be a side effect of your depression or not eating or sleeping. And I am sure blowing out a biotic implant doesn't help either."

"What am I supposed to do? I sleep too much already and I don't have an appetite."

"You need to take care of yourself. I am going to monitor your vitals, sleep, and food intake for the next few weeks. You need to get plenty of rest and avoid stress."

"Avoid stress? On this mission, on this ship?"

"Please Shepard. You are no good to us sick."

"Fine, I will do what I can, but we need to stay on mission. We might have scared these guys off, but I am sure they will be back."

Shepard saw Dr. Chakwas out and put the cold pack against her head. It felt good, but didn't help her head ache much. She finally got up to use the bathroom after she finished eating. Kasumi was waiting for her when she came back out. "How did you get in here?" Shepard asked.

"The door," Kasumi smiled.

"It should only open for my omni-tool code."

"I can get around the code. I just wanted to see how you were feeling."

"Fuck, do I need to make an announcement over the comm that I am okay?" Shepard shook her head.

"I understand that you want to keep up appearances for the crew, but burning out a biotic implant is a pretty severe response. You should have seen me after I lost Keiji. I know how you are feeling."

Shepard sighed and sat down on the couch. She ran a hand across her frustrated eyes and put the cold pack back in place. "I had all these expectations. I keep forgetting that it has been two years, not two months. I wanted things to go back to how they were before. I just can't believe he walked away like he did."

"Do you still want to be together?"

"Of course, I love Kaidan. I'd give anything to have him here, but I think he has a differing opinion."

"Maybe it was just an initial reaction. I am sure things will work out for the best."

"I hope so," Shepard frowned. "I should get back to work looking at these new dossiers."

"Trust me, Shepard. Things will work out."

Kasumi slipped out as quickly as she'd come. Shepard ran her hands across her neck, trying to smooth out some of the tension that ached at her shoulders. Zaeed called her console as she kneaded her muscles. "What the hell do you want?" Shepard snapped.

"I am just making sure you haven't forgotten about our deal. There is the matter of the refinery contract I need to finish," he asked in a sharp tone.

"No." Shepard snapped back. "There are far more important matters to deal with than some personal bull shit. There are thousands of colonists on a Collector ship and we need to find out where they are taking them."

"But I was told," Zaeed began before Shepard cut him off.

She didn't want anymore disturbances or distractions. The sooner she got back to the mission, the sooner she could be done with it. She hadn't sat down at her console for longer than a few minutes when there was a chime at the door. "If that is Zaeed, I am going to punch him right in the fucking jaw." Shepard balled her fist angrily and stormed towards the door. Her face softened a little when she saw Garrus on the other side.

"Sorry to disturb you Shepard," Garrus apologized, seeing the anger on her face.

"It's okay," Shepard unknitted her brow. "I was just looking over some more intel and everyone seems to be bothering me. I guess Liara is working for the Shadow Broker. He's had dealing with the Collectors so I am hoping maybe she knows what it is." She motioned for him to come inside. She sat down on the couch and put her feet up on the table.

"About the other day, I didn't want to come off like I was flirting with you. I don't have any notions of what could be." Shepard thought that if Turians could blush, that Garrus would be blushing right now.

"I didn't think you were flirting with me Garrus," Shepard let out a little laugh. "You were just being a good friend." He was quiet for a moment, scratching a talon across his leg nervously.

"You know how you build something up in your head so much, that you can't wait to have it? But you know you never will?" He lowered his eyes for a moment. "After you were gone, I built you up like that. I wanted to be like you Shepard. I tried it and failed miserably. I don't know how you do it so amazingly."

"You are talking to the woman who managed to get blown up with her ship and then roped into working with her enemy."

"I still can't believe it sometimes. No one took your death easy, Shepard. Seeing you alive again has brought those old feelings to the surface. For me, and I am sure for Alenko as well."

Shepard didn't want to talk about Kaidan and tried to change the subject. "So was this vigilante business your version of being me?"

Garrus laughed slightly and shook his head. He told her the whole story of how he'd gathered a team, similar to the one Shepard had formed to track down Saren. He wanted to right the wrongs and clean up some of the mercenary groups. "With what happened on Horizon, a lot of the crew is starting to take stock of the situation. If there is no going back through that relay, well no one wants to leave unfinished business." Garrus seemed hesitant to go on.

"And you have unfinished business like everyone else?" Shepard tried to pry out whatever he was holding back.

"Yeah, the Turian Sidonis who betrayed me. I think I finally tracked him down."

"Where?"

"The Citadel. I just found out from one of my contacts or else I would have done something while we were there."

"We might find our way back there before going through the relay. We've still got a long way to go." She thought about Kaidan reporting back to Anderson and wondering what he would say. She wanted nothing more than to at least explain to him what had happened in the last two years.

"You've got all of our support Shepard. Get some rest, you look like a Krogan's pile," he tried to laugh.

"Yeah, well you still look like one!" She laughed and punched him in the shoulder.

Garrus let himself out and Shepard decided to take another nap. She had set their course to Illium, where they had quite a few leads to track down. Besides speaking with Liara, there was a Drell and Asari that looked promising. Shepard thought about the unfinished business Garrus had mentioned and wondered if she was pushing the crew too hard. They all had families that they might not be going home to. She finally decided to give them some shore leave when the time was right.

Her attempt at a nap didn't go well, as she struggled with her thoughts. She had no idea what the Collectors next move would be. If they went back through the Omega Relay, she could do nothing but wait until they popped up again. She was angry at the Illusive Man for calling Horizon a victory. More than half the colony had been taken alive, more than likely for some sick experimental purpose. That bothered Shepard the most out of everything. She was now working for the same people who'd tried to create Thorian thralls and Rachni soldiers. She understood why Kaidan would be angry that she was working for them and that made her feel even worse. Sleep finally came, but her dreams were as unforgiving as the past few days.


	67. New Jobs

It took a few days for the ship to reach Illium. Shepard felt listless and didn't have much motivation to do anything more than sleep and eat. The doctor monitored her closely, as promised. She brought up all of her meals and made sure she ate them. Shepard announced to the crew that they would be given shore leave when the time was right. She wanted to make sure everyone could tie up loose ends before they attempted to go through the Omega Relay. She reminded them of how important and dangerous their mission was and if need be, they had her permission to leave permanently. As much as Shepard hated the Illusive Man, he was right about everyone needing to be fully committed to the mission.

The Normandy docked at Nos Astra during Illium's midday bustle. Shepard let the entire crew disembark so they could begin planning their leave and whether or not they wanted to remain on the ship. The docking bay was busy, but Liara's concierge still managed to find Shepard and direct her to Liara's office. The port was a far cry from the places Shepard had been recently and it was a slight relief to be somewhere so pleasant. The concierge escorted them to Liara's office. Shepard could hear a thousand Asari voices screaming to buy and sell on the nearby trading floor.

Liara's secretary let them right in, despite the fact the Liara was in the middle of a call. She was angry and shouted a threat at the man on the vid screen before realizing Shepard was behind her. "Hold all my calls and appointments!" Liara called to the secretary. She immediately embraced Shepard and held her tightly.

"You don't seem all the surprised to see me alive." Shepard hugged her for a moment and pulled away.

"Oh, well that." Liara lowered her eyes and sat down in her chair. "As an information broker, I find myself well informed."

"Then I assume you know all that is going on? The Collectors, the Reapers, Cerberus. I also heard you were going after the Shadow Broker." Shepard took a seat in front of her desk.

"Yes, I know enough and the Shadow Broker is another matter altogether. Perhaps we can discuss it later, I am sure you didn't just come here to catch up. I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of getting you a hotel room near the docking bay. I remember how gloomy your old cabin was."

"It is much nicer on the new Normandy, but I won't refuse a room with a bathtub. I am here looking for two contacts. An Asari named Samara and a Drell named Thane."

"Oh yes, I know of them both. Samara is a Justicar, an Asari warrior. Thane is a highly trained assassin. Two high profile visitors don't go unnoticed by my contacts. Hmm, let's see Thane was looking into an Asari named Nassana Dantius. He was questioning some of her former staff. There was one who now works in the cargo transfer department, Seryna was her name. As for Samara, she was last seen in the transportation district. There was a very high profile murder in the area. She checked in the a tracking officer. They might know where she is staying."

"Wow, your information is good. I thought I was going to have to dig around this city for days looking for them." Shepard smiled and stood up. "I imagine you are probably busy, so I will get out of your way. But you know where I am staying, perhaps we can catch up over dinner."

"I'd like that Shepard." Liara smiled warmly at her. "It has been a long two years."

Shepard got the hotel information from Liara's secretary and headed over to check in. The room was bright and airy, though minimally furnished in Asari fashion. The bathroom featured the bathtub Shepard hoped for and she immediately began to run a hot bath. This is the perfect way to speed my recovery, Shepard thought to herself as she climbed in. It felt good to soak, even if the hot water stung some of her open scars. The pain was almost a relief to her.

She soaked for a while until her omni-tool buzzed. She glanced down casually at the message but her heart stopped when she saw the sender: Kaidan Alenko. Suddenly the water wasn't warm enough and she found herself shivering. Her stomach had quickly knotted and she felt dizzy. She closed the message without reading it and slid all the way under the water. What does he want? Does he want to yell at me some more? Or beg me to leave Cerberus? She couldn't imagine what could be contained in the message. She finally raised her head and gasped for air.

She climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her and sat on the bed. The room was quiet besides pattering sound her wet hair made dripping on the bed. She finally worked up enough courage to open the message again and read it slowly. She cried reading it, each word hitting her hard. She was relieved that it was an apology of sorts, but it left her with more questions. If she somehow survived did he still want to be with her? Was he still seeing this doctor when they'd met on Horizon? She wanted to go immediately to the Citadel to see him but she didn't know if he would accept her if she was still with Cerberus. She read the last part over and over. "When things settle down a little..maybe..I don't know."

Shepard could think of nothing else. She couldn't bear to stay in her hotel room and wandered to the bar downstairs. An Asari was tending bar and nodded at Shepard when she sat down. "Rough day?" the Asari asked. Her voice was rougher than most Asari and she had a deviant smile on her lips.

"How can you tell?" Shepard asked, pointing to one of the bottles at the top of the bar.

"It is easy to tell when a human or Asari has been crying. We look pretty dumb with those big red eyes." She laughed slightly and pulled the bottle down. "I can only assume it was a man? They tend to do that."

"It wasn't like that, well. It's complicated." Shepard took the small glass the Asari had poured and took a sip.

"That's what they all say."

"Would you do the right thing if it meant losing the person you loved?"

"Why not do both? There is always a way to, what do you humans say? Have your cake and eat it too?"

"I don't know if there is in this case. He thinks what I am doing is wrong. Or more so, who I am doing it with, but there is no one else that can help me."

"Hmmm sounds like he should understand that. But what do I know. I stay away from human men. Now those Turians, oh the waists on them! And those hard bony asses!"

Shepard laughed slightly and ordered another drink. She was glad to have the company of the bartender for the moment, some one that didn't know her past and could give her blunt advice. She suggested Shepard go to his door in a tight leather outfit and surprise him, but Shepard just laughed at the notion. She finally returned to her room late in the evening and went immediately to sleep. The wine helped her rest, even with Kaidan still racing through her mind. She spent the next morning writing draft after draft of a message back to him. She couldn't seem to find the right words to explain herself and finally just gave up and wrote something simple back:

Dear Kaidan Whatever happens in the next few months, know that I will always love you.  
>Shepard<p>

She sent it quickly so she didn't have to think about it anymore. She left the hotel and checked back in with the ship. Everyone was still busy making arrangements for shore leave and resupplying the ship. Miranda was already making arrangements for a sister Shepard never knew she had, while Zaeed was arranging for a shuttle to take him to Zorya. He seemed content enough that he was being given leave to go and had asked Jacob to accompany him. Garrus was still working on the engine calibrations when Shepard interrupted him. "No plans on how to spend your week off? I thought you might go after Sidonis?"

"I am here by your side if you need me Shepard. Like you said, if we happen to find ourselves on the Citadel before this is all over, then I'll take care of it."

"I appreciate your resolve."

"Well, it is easy when you don't have family. Who do I have to say goodbye to?" He laughed, but couldn't hide the tone of sadness in his voice. "Orphans make the best heroes, right Shepard?"

"We'll make you a hero yet, Garrus."

"I am content to be in your shadow Shepard. If my only claim to glory is that 'Turian who helped Shepard stop the Reapers', that is good enough."

"Well, you already did that once, it is time to step up your game! Let's blow something up! Trash a bar or something!" Shepard hoped to cheer him up. The way he talked made it sound like he was having a bad day.

"Ha ha, right behind you Shepard. Though you might want to take Grunt instead. I heard he's been causing trouble in the cargo room."

"Uh oh, any damage done?"

"He made some joke about ripping open a Turian's skull, but I didn't take it as a threat against me. But I am sleeping with my Talon next to me at night."

"I'll go talk to him."

Shepard left Garrus and went to find Grunt. It wasn't hard, judging from the noise in the cargo bay. She found him lifting fuel barrels over his head as Jack encouraged him. "If he drops one of those, this whole ship explodes," Shepard looked at Jack.

"I'm strong Shepard! I won't drop them." Grunt snarled at her.

"Relax, if one falls I will catch it with my biotics before it does any real damage." Jack raised a field of biotics to demonstrate.

"Well, if you two are looking to get into trouble, we have an assassin to track down."

"Are we going to kill him?" Grunt asked.

"No, we are trying to recruit him."

"But I want to kill something."

"You never know, there might be something to kill along the way. Or if the assassin doesn't cooperate, you can kill him. Okay?"

Grunt said nothing, but set the barrel down with a loud thud as Shepard cringed. Shepard called Liara to double check the name of the Asari Thane had contacted. "I tried to call you about dinner but you didn't answer," Liara asked.

"Sorry, I was out and completely forgot about it. Some other time?" Shepard apologized.

"Of course. I will be here if you need me."

Shepard felt bad about standing Liara up, but she didn't want to talk about her old life at the moment. She wanted it back so badly, but she knew nothing would ever be the same for her. She watched as her two new crew members joked over which guns they were bringing. Shepard would have to content with the life she had now and do everything she could to make it better.


	68. A Dying Breed

Shepard left the Normandy with Grunt and Jack in tow. In was the middle of the afternoon before they finally set off. They took a shuttle to the cargo transfer area to look for the Asari the drell had spoken to. "So you are looking for Thane?" Seryna asked. "Did he kill someone close to you? Looking for revenge?"

"No. I just want to talk to him." Shepard replied.

"Not a lot of people just want to talk to an assassin." Seryna laughed slightly and pulled Shepard aside for her desk.

"So you already know what he does? How did you get involved with him?" Shepard wondered.

"He asked me for information. He wanted to know about my former employer."

"Nassana Dantius?"

"Nassana was having her own people killed. I wasn't about to let it happen to me and when I confronted her, she fired me."

"So you aren't too concerned you sent an assassin her way?"

"She's got mercs to protect her. She owns a building in the heart of the city, the Dantius Towers. That's where I sent Thane."

"Is he still there?"

"I imagine so. I haven't heard anything about Nassana being killed yet. I could drive you over there if you like."

"Why are you so eager to help us?"

The Asari just shrugged her shoulders and grabbed the jacket from her office chair. "Are you coming or not?"

They followed Seryna to her shuttle and flew towards the housing district. The traffic was heavy for as late as the afternoon had grown, so it took nearly an hour to get to the towers. "Your best bet is the second tower that is still under construction. There is a sky bridge that connects the two penthouses." Seryna climbed out so Grunt could get by her. "Nassana will be inside with her bodyguards."

"What is your angle in all of this?" Shepard asked. "Are you that bitter you got fired?"

"Nassana hasn't made it easy for me to find another job. If something where to happen to her, maybe I could find myself something off-world." She waved goodbye and left them in the shadow of the two towers. For all its glamour, Shepard realized that Illium was as dangerous a place as any other. Everyone seemed to have their own agenda to look after.

"What now?" Grunt asked.

"Seryna said Nassana has become paranoid and has surrounded herself with mercanaries. I imagine we will have to kill a few of them to get to her and hopefully we will run into Thane on the way." Shepard cocked her pistol and walked towards the tower, looking for an entrance. She heard shouting and gun fire and ran towards it.

She found a few dead Salarians and some mercs prowling around the makeshift construction office. The mercs didn't notice Shepard until after they were dead or dying. One of the salarians was still conscious and Shepard administered some omni-gel to help stabilize him. "What is going on here? Why did those mercs shoot all of you?"

"Orders from Nassana. We didn't even have a chance to get away. There were other workers, some of them hid but others are dead." The salarian coughed green blood all over himself.

"Can you walk? Get somewhere where you can call for help?"

"Maybe if you help me up." He groaned as Shepard gave him a hand and he held the wound at his side.

"You didn't see a drell skulking around did you?"

"There was someone else, other than the mercs. He moved so quickly, he might have been a drell. I am not sure. He helped most of us get away."

"Get yourself some medical attention, we will take care of the mercs and look for any survivors."

The salarian stumbled off after thanking them, leaving a trail of blood behind him. "This bitch has sent her mercs to kill her own workers, that's fucked up." Jack exclaimed.

"Let's get moving before she kills anymore." Shepard motioned with her head.

The lower levels were still unfinished and as they moved up through the tower, the work became less so. The mercs seemed preoccupied with searching for any remaining workers and were easy targets. Both Jack and Grunt seemed to relish the killing, which disturbed Shepard slightly. Better them than me though, Shepard thought to herself.

Most of the elevators in the building were operational, so they were able to make a quick ascent through the tower. They found more of the workers hiding out and sent them on their way, all the mercs in their path now dead. They too had seen the mysterious stranger but none of them could confirm he was a drell. The mercs soon got wise to their presence and were waiting to fight them off.

Most lacked the skills or weapons to put up much of a fight, but some of the heavies and centurions left their armor with a few more scars. They eventually reached the sky bridge Seryna had mentioned but it proved to be a treacherous crossing. The remaining mercs had staked good positions on the other side, leaving Shepard and her team open if they dared to cross. A cross wind was also howling across the bridge. Shepard used Grunt as a distraction and picked off mercs with her sniper rifle when they tried to engage him. The cleanup work was done by Jack's biotics, as she tossed some of the stragglers off the bridge.

The penthouse on the other side was locked up tight, but Shepard was able to hack into the security system and get them inside. They found Nassana inside, flanked by several bodyguards. "Who the hell are you? Why are you trying to kill me? Who sent you?" Nassana asked.

"I am not the one you should be worried about," Shepard called from the doorway. She could see the reflection of the room where Nassana was and didn't dare to enter. The bodyguards had their guns pointed straight towards the doorway. Shepard saw some movement and watched a figure slip quietly from the air vent, none of Nassana's bodyguards noticing him.

They were dead before any of them turned around. The drell grabbed Nassana and put a quick round in her stomach before setting her body across a nearby console. Shepard stepped inside but the drell made no hint of acknowledgement and folded his hands in prayer. "Hey you," Jack said before Shepard raised a hand to quiet her. Shepard let him finish his prayer before finally speaking up.

"Thane Krios, I assume?"

"And you. I do not know who you are, but you proved a valuable distraction."

"Yeah, we could have used your help with on the way up, but that is in the past. I need you for an important mission."

"It certainly must be if you have come all this way."

"The Collectors are kidnapping entire human colonies. I am building a team to go after them. I won't lie that it isn't dangerous, but we can pay whatever fee you require."

"I am less concerned about money than making the universe a better place. As for the danger, that is little concern, as I am dying."

"You'd certainly be doing your part to ride the universe of some bad things. How long do you have?"

"Enough time to see you through your mission or die trying."

"I guess that settles it then. Shall we go?"

Thane nodded and followed them towards the elevator. It was a much quicker ride down, though finding a cab for the four of them proved more difficult. Grunt was hungry and anxious and made most of the cab drivers nervous. Shepard saw Thane back to the ship with Grunt and Jack and returned to her hotel room. It had grown too late to have dinner with Liara, so that would have to wait for another day. She returned back to the bar instead to speak with Aethyta, the bartender. Shepard ate the greasy bar food and listened to some of her stories. They were amusing and helped take her mind off Kaidan.


	69. Everybody's Got Problems

Shepard didn't get a lot of sleep, even in the confines of her comfortable hotel room. For the first time since she'd been re-awoken, she had a sex dream. She woke up with a feeling of longing that she hadn't felt in a while. 'This is just what I need,' Shepard thought to herself as she sat up out of bed. She'd felt little desire for sex since dying, the depression sapping any wants she might have. She climbed out a bed and took a shower, hoping to put her desires aside. As she was dressing, Joker called on her omni-tool.

"You might want to come back to the ship. Miranda and Jack are about to tear each others' throats out. Now if we had some hot oil or mud that be another-"

"Shut up Joker," Shepard interrupted. "What is the problem?"

"I don't know, Jack is just screaming about Cerberus."

Shepard frowned and hurried back to the docking bay where the Normandy rested. The past few days had been fairly normal and Shepard wasn't happy about an interruption to her peace. She found Jack and Miranda screaming at each other in Miranda's office. A chair had already been tipped over, but there was no other damage done yet. "What the fuck is going on?" Shepard yelled. "I leave the ship for one damn day!"

"Jack is crazy, she came in here screaming about what Cerberus had done to her. I didn't have any part in those experiments!" Miranda stood glaring at Jack.

"Like that makes a difference. You still work for them." Jack glared back.

"Technically so do you." Shepard crossed her arms and looked displeased at both the women. "What started this?"

"Jack was going through the files you gave her and must not have seen something she liked."

"I found the facility where I was raised. A Cerberus facility."

"Well if you want to kill each other after we stop the Collectors, be my fucking guest! Otherwise, shut the fuck up and stay out of each others' way!" Shepard yelled at them.

"I don't want to kill her, yet. I want to blow up the facility."

"Then do it for all I care. Shore leave will start today, okay. I am tired of everyone acting like they have better things to do than stop the Collectors. Happy!"

"Sure!" Jack kicked over the other chair and stormed out.

"I told you she was dangerous and couldn't be trusted." Miranda began putting her office back in order.

"Well, it was Cerberus that made her that way and it was the Illusive Man that recommend her, so you can take your advice and shove it up your-"

"Look, I am sorry I am agitated. I should have been able to handle Jack and not get you involved. There has just been a complication with my sister, the one I told you about. Well, she's my genetic twin. I smuggled her away when she was a baby so my father wouldn't do the same thing to her that he did to me. I tried to keep her location a secret but somehow my father has found out. He's sent mercs here to capture her." Her voice cracked a little and Shepard couldn't believe she was on the verge of tears.

"Why don't you move her now?"

"I need help. If there are mercs waiting for her at the transport depot. I, there is no one else I can ask." She looked at Shepard with slight shame at having to beg for help.

"What about Jacob? You too seem, close."

"Jacob and I are, I don't even know. But he promised to go off with Zaeed to Zorya and he'll be gone much longer."

"What does that mean?"

"You want us all to be focused on the mission? No regrets? Well, I sent him something that will close the last open wound in his life."

"I see." Shepard raised and eyebrow but didn't bother to ask her to elaborate. "Well, how soon can you move her. We still need to find this Justicar and I'd like to catch up with Dr. T'soni."

"I'd like to move her as soon as possible. I will speak to my contact right away and meet you at the transportation depot in an hour."

"Tell the crew they are free to do what they will for the week, but remind them gently what's at stake."

Shepard left Miranda's office and checked in with Dr. Chakwas. The doctor was pleased at Shepard's progress and they chatted a while over Kaidan's letter. "I always knew you two would make it," The doctor sipped on a glass of brandy Shepard had smuggled aboard.

"We haven't made it yet. He just, I don't know what he wants and I don't think he does either."

"But I know you will somehow. I remember giving him a prostate exam and he kept asking about you." Dr. Chakwas laughed, clearly a little bit tipsy.

"What?" Shepard wondered.

"When he first came onto the Normandy. He and Jenkins were due for their annual. Well, almost due." Chakwas grinned and hiccuped.

"Maker, you are really blitzed," Shepard laughed.

"I'm fine. I just like to remember Jenkins. He had so much potential and it was gone in an instant." Chakwas tried to stand up but swayed. "Oh, it's been a long time since I drank so much."

"Maybe you should lie down. I need to go meet Miranda anyway."

Chakwas stumbled to one of the tables and Shepard headed for the elevator. She grabbed Garrus, who was just coming out of the doors. "Tired of being on the ship? Want to help me with something?" Shepard asked.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to get out of the engine room. I think my hearing is starting to go," he laughed. "What exactly will we be doing?"

"Miranda needs help making sure her sister is relocated. I imagine all hell will break loose."

"Sounds about right!" Garrus shook his head and chuckled.

They met Miranda at the transportation depot where she seemed flustered. "My contact says the mercs are already looking to apprehend Oriana. We have to get to her first."

"Let's go then." Shepard nodded.

"Thank you for this Shepard."

"Yeah, well just don't tell anyone I am being generous."

They hurried to intercept the mercs who were moving to intercept Miranda's sister. Garrus managed to hack into their personal communication devices and they set up ambushes to catch the mercs off guard. Miranda recognized one of the voices on the communicators and realized that one of her friends had been the one to reveal Oriana's location to Miranda's father. When they confronted her friend, Niket, Miranda did not hesitate to shoot him.

It didn't take long to finish off the rest of the mercs and make sure Oriana was safely away. Miranda was hesitant to see her off but Shepard gave her a look that said she damn well better. They returned back to the Normandy after Miranda said her goodbyes. "Anything you need from me Shepard, just ask," Miranda reminded her.

It was early enough in the evening that Shepard set up dinner with Liara. She returned to her hotel and changed out of her BDU's and into a simple dress. She looked over the check out log for the crew and wondered how many would actually return. There were still rumors that the Collectors were targeting more colonies, but the Illusive Man had sent over no more information. Shepard couldn't anticipate their next move and hated having to rely on the Illusive Man for all her information. Shepard was looking forward to prying Liara out of any knowledge of him and Cerberus.


	70. Hangover

Liara had chosen the dinner location and it was more opulent than Shepard had expected. She'd taken a cab over, but was a few minutes late. Liara was already seated when Shepard entered, so she waved her over. "This place never sleeps does it," Shepard said when she sat down. Shepard had been stuck in traffic for nearly twenty minutes.

"I found myself liking it quite a bit," Liara smiled. "That is why I stayed."

"It is a far cry from a Prothean dig site though."

"Well, I am still able to do research of sorts and the accommodations are much better."

"I still don't know how you managed to fall into something like this."

"Well, it was partially due to your death." Liara lowered her eyes and pretended to be looking at the menu.

"What does that mean?"

She hesitated for a moment but finally continued. "I was, looking for your body, but no one seemed to want to give me answers. I eventually hired a drell to find you."

"You hired someone to find my body? Why?"

"It's, well, I couldn't give up hope that you could still be alive. Everyone, needed you Shepard." Liara stumbled over her words, clearly not comfortable talking about. Shepard didn't care, and wanted answers.

"So I can assume it was you that gave me to Cerberus?"

"It wasn't my plan, they approached me when we were tracking the Blue Suns that had found you. They were about to hand you over to the Shadow Broker. He'd made a deal with the Collectors."

"People fighting over a piece of meat? I don't understand it. They were lucky there was something left of me. What the hell did they want with me?"

"One of the benefits of the Alliance armor you wore and that fact that you were in a vacuum. It kept you together long enough-"

"Long enough for Cerberus to bring me back from the dead." The thought of it still frightened Shepard. She didn't see a white light, her life didn't flash before her eyes, her death was nothing.

"They told me what they would do once I gave them your body. I, had to do it."

"And you didn't tell anyone else what you were doing? You didn't tell Kaidan? He thought I was dead for two years and then I show up in front of him on Horizon." Shepard finally realized how Kaidan must have felt.

"I couldn't." Liara's eyes were filling with tears and made Shepard regret pressing her so hard. "There was an, incident after your death. Kaidan nearly killed Joker and I stepped in the middle of them. It was hard to talk to him after that. I knew how he felt about you and I didn't want to give him false hope in case Cerberus couldn't bring you back."

Hearing it all made Shepard queasy, especially about Kaidan. She'd been so angry at him after Horizon, but he'd been through hell only to be lied to and deceived. She pressed her palm against her forehead and gritted her teeth. "What a fucking mess." She said under her breath.

"I am sorry Shepard. I didn't mean to," Liara's words trailed off as a few tears slipped down her face.

"It's, alright. I, this is just hard to hear. It just feels like I have been asleep all this time. I had no idea how deep things were. I've got the information Cerberus wanted me to give you. I don't have much of an appetite anymore."

"I understand, thank you for bringing me the information. I will look it over and let you know."

"I am going to be here on Illium for about a week. I sent everyone on shore leave to clear up their affairs. We've got the Collectors on the run but we still can't do anything until they show up again. Let me know if the information pans out."

"I will be in touch." Liara nodded and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

Shepard excused herself and hailed another cab. She didn't even want to think, so she stopped at the hotel bar and managed to talk Aethyta out of a bottle of Krogan ale. The taste made Shepard gag, but the warm feeling in her stomach soon overtook all the worries she had about her conversation with Liara. She took an extra sedative and passed out without even bothering to take her shoes off.

She woke up the next morning with her head pounding and her stomach churning. She dragged herself into the shower and sat huddled under the hot stream of water. The alcohol had dulled her memory of the conversation she'd had with Liara, but she felt no better about it. The Collectors were targeting her personally and she couldn't help but wonder if the colonial attacks had something to do with her too. She couldn't imagine what they wanted with her body and the thought made her shudder. 'Nothing else matters but stopping them,' she told herself as the water trickled down her face.

She finally climbed out of the shower and wrapped herself in a few towels and a robe. She curled up on the couch and ordered a plate of fries covered in gravy, cheese, and varren meat. There was nothing better for a hangover. She turned on a vid, but paused it to call Miranda on the Normandy. "I am calling in that favor already. I am not feeling very well and I want you to track down the Justicar. You should be able to handle it. Take Garrus with you if you want."

"Something must be going around the ship. Dr. Chakwas was ill today as well. I will get the rest of the crew on immune boosters right away."

"I wouldn't worry about." Chakwas had about as much brandy as Shepard had of Krogan ale, so they both must have been feeling the effects. "Let me know how it goes."

Shepard turned the vid back and ate her room service when it came. She fell asleep during the vid and woke up in the late afternoon. She ordered more food to eat and read through a few emails on her omni-tool. Most of the crew seemed to be enjoying their shore leave and Jacob checked in from Zorya. He told Shepard he would be gone longer than expected, but would return before the weeks' end. "Miranda's doing, no doubt," Shepard said aloud as she shoved a forkful of asari pasta in her mouth. She could care less what he was doing, as long as he and Zaeed returned to finish with the Collectors.

The last message was from Miranda, telling Shepard that Samara wanted to see her personally. "I thought I told you to take care of it?" Shepard said when she called her.

"I managed to get to her before she was detained by the police. They don't seem too pleased to have a Justicar in their district."

"What did she do?"

"She killed a few mercenaries. Apparently she is here looking for someone and Eclipse knows where. She wouldn't agree to leave until she got the information she was after and speak to you privately."

"Where are you now?" Shepard sighed. She didn't feel nauseous anymore but her head still ached.

"We are at the commercial spaceport, waiting at the police station."

"Alright, I will be there in an hour." Shepard grumbled and ended the call. She hadn't planned on leaving the hotel and had to fix her hair and get dressed.

She took a cab to the spaceport and made her way to the police station. "You look like hell Shepard," Miranda commented when the desk sergeant showed Shepard in.

"Hence the reason I wanted to spend the day in my hotel room asleep," Shepard replied.

"This is Commander Shepard?" an Asari sitting on top of a desk asked.

"You must be Samara." Shepard sat down at a desk and turned off the lamp that pained her eyes.

"I am sorry for bringing you out here if you are ill. Your companions told me about your mission. It would be a great duty to assist in you, but I am currently sworn to another cause."

"Miranda told me you were searching for someone."

"A very dangerous criminal. I have made it my life's work to stop her."

"What does this have to do with me and my mission? Is she here on Illium?"

"She was. Some mercenaries helped smuggle her off-world. I need to find the name of the ship they sent her on. If I have the name of the ship, I will join your mission."

"My people can be very persuasive. It was Eclipse you say?"

"Yes, I already spoke with some of their lieutenants. They were, uncooperative."

"Well, someone always leaves a paper trail. Miranda, Garrus, why don't you go stir up their base and see what you can find. I'm more likely to pass out than hit a target right now."

Miranda seemed a little annoyed at being sent off with Garrus again, but Shepard was in no mood for a gunfight. She sat back further in the chair and sighed. "I would like to discuss more of the misson with you, if that is possible. But I understand if you don't feel well." Samara suggested.

"I suppose I can't feel any worse sitting in this chair."

Shepard told Samara about the Collector attacks, the Reapers, and everything that had gone on since she'd been re-awoken. Samara was intrigued that Shepard had come back from the dead and asked many questions about her experience. She was disappointed when Shepard said that she had no death experience that she could recall. Samara also sensed the untrained biotic energy Shepard had and questioned her about it. Shepard gave only vague answers, still hating to talk about her biotics.

Miranda and Garrus returned several hours later, blue Asari blood splattered across Miranda's face. She tossed a datapad on the table with slight disdain. "The AML Demeter," she said as she tossed it down. She sat down in a huff, the look of displeasure still on her face. "Remind me never to owe you favors again Shepard."

"Yesterday was no picnic for me either. I have a burn on my ass from a heat round that nearly got through." Shepard stood up, ready to go back to the comforts of her hotel room. "Well Samara, Miranda can show you back to the Normandy or you can wrap up any other business you have here. We are staying through the week."

"I am sure Detective Anaya will be more than pleased to see me go. I will go to your ship at once."

Shepard returned with them, to check on Dr. Chakwas and her fish. The doctor was in the middle of giving herself a vitamin injection and Shepard asked for one as well. She hoped it would get her feeling better faster. "What did I tell you about taking it easy?" Chakwas lectured her.

"I was taking it easy." Shepard replied. "I'm my own way.


	71. My Itching Quads

Shepard spent the rest of the week in relative peace. A couple crew members stumbled back from their adventures with bruises or a few less credits, but everyone returned. Jacob was visibly agitated when Miranda informed him that she was the one who'd sent him the information about his father. They had a screaming match in Miranda's office, but according to scuttlebutt, Jacob didn't leave until the next morning. Jack had taken Grunt to Pragia and went straight to Shepard's cabin when they returned to the ship. "I think you need to take Grunt to a doctor. Something is definitely wrong with him."

"I didn't ask you to bring him along. If he was bothering you, that is your problem."

"Don't get me wrong, he was a lot of help. Maybe too much help. A group of mercs had set up shop looking for salvage. Grunt nearly ripped a guy's head off."

"Krogans will do that."

"It was more than that, he was just messed. Kept talking really strange, pacing around. I thought I was going to have to put him down for a second."

"I'll look into. In the meantime, are we going to have a problem with you and Miranda?"

"As long as she stays out of my way."

Shepard dismissed Jack and called Mordin. "Can you check on Grunt and make sure he is okay?"

"What seems to be the problem? Eating less, too much? Scale itch? Undescended testicle?"

"I have no idea. Jack just said he's more agitated than usual. She might not understand how Krogans work."

"Will see to it when I can. Still going over Collector data from Horizon. Heard about the incident with former solider and possibly lover."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Shepard said under her breath. "Look, just find out what is wrong with Grunt and fix him."

Shepard shut off her console and sat down at her terminal. The Illusive Man wasn't sending her much, so she didn't know what to expect next. She hoped they had scared the Collectors off a little, but doubted Horizon had made any difference. She was only glad that Mindoir had some of the best defense towers in the galaxy. Even though she didn't have any family left on the colony, she couldn't bear if it was attacked again.

She began to think about her life back on the colony and wondered what her parents would think of her life. She'd planned on following them into the engineering field, but after the attack she wanted to be far away from anything that reminded her of her parents. Her thoughts were interrupted by Mordin calling at her door. "I never expected to see you up here. It isn't serious with Grunt is it?"

"No, I believe it is a minor ailment, but the cause eludes me. Perhaps best if a Krogan doctor looked at him."

"Where the hell am I supposed to find one of those? Do they even exist?"

"Tuchanka perhaps. Noveria employs several."

"I think I wore out my welcome there." Shepard thought for a moment. Entering the Krogan DMZ would take them close to the Citadel. She'd let everyone else say their goodbyes, she still wanted to believe she and Kaidan could be together. "Do you think it is serious enough that we go? It takes us back into Council space."

For once Shepard heard Mordin speak at a normal pace. "We have had an, amicable relationship thus far. Confess I have ulterior motives for suggesting Tuchanka."

"I appreciate you being straight with me. What is it?"

"Former student, Maelon. Captured by Bloodpack somewhere on Tuchanka. Would like to find him. Medical care for Grunt available as well, but."

"You've been working harder than anyone else on this ship. If this is what you need, we'll do it. Besides, I can't have Grunt tearing the ship apart."

"Thank you Shepard."

Shepard thought she saw a smile on his face but he quickly blinked and left. Shepard didn't like the idea of leaving the Terminus Systems while the Collectors were still out there, but they had no more leads to follow. She set a new course for the Krogan DMZ and went down to talk to Garrus. "We will be pretty close to Widow, so maybe we can stop at the Citadel. If we are going to die stopping these bastards, I want us all to be at peace with our lives."

"I appreciate it Shepard. Sidonis betrayed me, I think it is time I returned the favor."

Shepard stayed down on the crew deck for a while, talking with some of the crew. Most of them only knew Shepard by reputation. Very few of the old Normandy crew had agreed to come work for Cerberus, but there were a some. Shepard returned to her cabin and busied herself on the extranet. She had another dinner date with Liara before they left and she wanted to apologize for making her cry.

She met Liara at another restaurant, a much cozier place than before. Shepard apologized and assured Liara she was thankful for what she did. "It isn't everyday you get a second chance. It is like something out of a cheesy vid."

"I can't imagine what you must be going through."

"It doesn't seem real sometimes. If I survive this, I will have to figure things out."

"You will always be welcome here if things don't work out with Kaidan. I mean, I am sure it will." Liara blushed.

Shepard still felt a wound in her heart at the mention of his name. His message had lessened the pain, but she still didn't know if she could ever face him again. She talked with Liara for a while longer, before returning to the Normandy. Liara was still going over the data Cerberus had given her, but things looked promising. The crew said their goodbyes to Illium and left port.

It took them a few days to reach Tuchanka and Shepard was displeased with what she saw. Tuchanka was little more than a scar of land held together by dead forests and crumbling ruins. It was a hundred and thirty five degrees on the surface and felt no cooler in the underground bunker they landed the shuttle inside. EDI's reports noted that Urdnot clan had become dominant and Shepard hoped Wrex's name could give her safe passage.

"What do you want human?" one of the Krogan asked as they exited the Kodiak. He sniffed towards Grunt and said something under his breath.

"I am looking for a Krogan doctor, my friend here isn't feeling too well." Shepard tried to speak with authority, but the amount of hostile Krogan around her was intimidating. "I am a friend of Urdnot Wrex." She added, hoping to assuage their hostility.

"Ha," another Krogan laughed. "A friend of Wrex!"

"Is something about that funny?" Shepard wondered.

"Just go talk to the Chief. He'll give you an answer or kill you instead."

Shepard headed down the tunnel the Krogan pointed. "That went well." Mordin said. Shepard almost told him to shut up, but just kept walking. She was starting to have her doubts about bringing Grunt to Tuchanka. She was already sweating in her armor and the thick, dirty air made her cough. They wound their way through a maze of rubble until they found a large open plaza. There were a few makeshift stores, a varren fighting pit, and a few large trucks being repaired.

Another Krogan directed them towards the Chief's room at the center of the plaza. It was less a room than a hill of rubble with a seat at the top. By the time Shepard climbed up, she was out of breath and felt sweat running down her back. 'I hate this place,' she thought to herself. The Chief was talking to a few Krogan, but immediately stood as Shepard wiped sweat from her brow. "Shepard!" the Chief called with a wave.

"Is that you Wrex?" Shepard puffed, her throat dry from the hot air. She recognized Wrex's bright red head plate at once.

Wrex jumped down from his Chief's seat and hugged Shepard, squeezing her so tight all the air rushed out of her lungs. "I heard you were dead Shepard. Then I heard you were alive. Glad to see the first people were wrong."

"I was dead for a while. What about you? You are Chief now? You never told me you were going back to Tuchanka." Even through her armor, her body ached after hugging him.

"I heard what the machine said on Ilos. My people need to be prepared to fight and we can't do that when we are fighting one another. I came back here to unite the clans."

"That is good news. We will need your help."

"They aren't here now, are they? I know you didn't come to catch up."

" I came about Grunt here. He seems, overly agitated. I hoped there was a doctor or something around that could help me."

"There is nothing wrong with him, he is becoming an adult." One of the Krogan Wrex was arguing with spoke up.

"Ah, Krogan puberty. Should have suspected. Higher aggression, higher appetite, strange tickling feeling under skin." Mordin added.

"He will need to go through the Rite. Where do you come from?" Wrex asked Grunt, eyeing him up and down. "Did you parents abandon you off world? Were you someone's pet?"

"I am no man's pet." Grunt narrowed his eyes. "I am a perfect Krogan, engineered by the Warlord Okeer."

"Tank-bred? Better to send him out to the wastes to die." The other Krogan stepped between Wrex and Grunt.

"That isn't going to happen." Shepard moved towards the Krogan. "What happens with this Rite?"

"You cannot allow this!" The other Krogan protested. "I will speak to the Shaman at once. He will never agree to this." He stormed off as Wrex shook his head.

"You will have to convince the Shaman to allow him the Rite. Uvenk will already try to sway him."

"Just point the way then."

Wrex told Shepard where to go and left Mordin to inquire with the scouts about Maelon's whereabouts. She went at once to find the shaman with Grunt. Uvenk was already with the shaman when they arrived. Shepard managed to convince the shaman to allow Grunt the Rite, much to the chagrin of Uvenk and the rest of the Gatatog clan. Uvenk grumbled out after saying a few worlds under his breath. They made arrangements to take Grunt to the Keystone in the morning.

Grunt chose to stay on the surface with the rest of the Urdnot warriors, so Shepard and Mordin returned to the Normandy. Mordin was waiting to hear back from another scout about Maelon. Shepard found an urgent message waiting for her when she got to her cabin. The Illusive Man wanted to talk as soon as possible.

She headed down to the comm room to speak with him. "I was glad to see you allowed your crew to close their past. I assume you've done the same." The Illusive man praised her.

"None of your damn business. What the hell do you want?"

"We've finally got the Collectors. A Turian patrol disabled one of their vessels. I've been able to keep them away but we need to act fast. I've already sent you the coordinates."

"Don't sound so excited. What am I supposed to do once I get there? These things ripped through one ship already."

"The ship is disabled. All the life support systems will be offline. You need to get in there and gather data on how to get through the Omega relay."

"How far away is it?"

"You should leave right away. Good luck Shepard."

Something didn't feel right as the Illusive Man signed off. The Normandy wasn't prepared for a one on one fight with the Collector vessel and Shepard had no idea what to expect once a team got inside. She immediately called a meeting. "This is the best lead we have, but it is the most dangerous. We have no idea what to expect once we get there, despite what the Illusive Man believes."

"When are we leaving?" Miranda asked.

"Grunt is supposed to go through his Rite and Mordin still needs to find his student."

"Perhaps best to leave me here and come back. Or can arrange transport to you." Mordin suggested.

"Are you sure that is a good idea. A single salarian on a world filled with Krogan. And what about Grunt?"

"Clan Urdnot seems to have taken him under their wing. Will be good for him to bond with other Krogan. As for me, I have grenades." Mordin smiled slightly, trying to assure Shepard he would be alright on his own.

"I am supposed to fight as Grunt's krantt. His Rite will have to wait I suppose."

"I will make sure the delay is acceptable. Will take shuttle down right away."

"Alright then, it is time we hit the Collectors in their territory."

Shepard saw Mordin off and sent an apology to Grunt and Wrex, promising to come back as soon as they were done. She was nervous about engaging the Collectors, but ready to get some answers as well. Sleep didn't come easy and she had to seek a sedative with Dr. Chakwas. The doctor put her through another check up first, but was glad that Shepard was improving. The anti-depressants seemed to be working and Shepard was finally starting to heal again. She got a good night's sleep and waited anxiously for the Normandy to arrive at the disabled Collector vessel.


	72. Into the Hive

Shepard waited on the bridge next to Joker as they neared the Collector Vessel. It sat motionless and showed no indication of being operational. It dwarfed the Normandy in size and sent a pit of nervousness into Shepard's stomach."How the hell did a Turian ship take that thing down?" Joker asked.

"Maybe those AA guns on Horizon did some damage. They sure didn't do much to help us. Try to find us a way in."

EDI scanned the entire ship and found a small area where the Kodiak could enter. Shepard had never felt so unsure about a mission as she did now. Nothing about entering the Collector ship felt right to her. She briefed the team, but didn't have much to say other than to be cautious. They took the shuttle over to the Collector vessel and set down inside. The inside of the ship was as odd as the outside. There was an odd mix of organic matter molded to the metal structure of the ship. It almost looked like an insect hive in places.

Shepard climbed out of the Kodiak with her gun drawn. She didn't trust the Illusive Man's theory that the life support systems had killed all the Collectors. "Everyone stay alert and stay quiet. This feels too easy. EDI, what have you got for me?" Shepard ordered.

"I have identified a data node at the center of the ship that you will have to manually link to my systems. I have input the coordinates to your omni-tool."

"Let's move. I don't want to stay on this ship any longer than we have to."

They moved out, following EDI's directions towards the main data hub. They stopped only when they found of pile of bodies littering a hallway. "My god, are these the colonists?" Miranda wondered. Even with breather masks, the smell of decomp still managed to reached everyone's suits.

"Look there, the colonial seal of Horizon on the jacket. What the hell did they do to them?" Shepard didn't want to get any closer, but she could see signs of disturbance on the some of the fresher corpses.

"The bodies show signs of advanced experimentation. The Collectors were liking using them as test subjects." EDI responded.

"Then why kill them?" Jacob wondered.

"They must have outlived their usefulness. Cerberus seems to like-" Jack said before Shepard quieted her.

"This explains why they are taking them alive." Shepard shook her head. Things were more grim than she could have imagined. She could see children among the bodies. She was so angry she could barely see straight and had to sit down for a moment.

"Damn them!" Kasumi said angrily, a tear visible from underneath her hood.

"We have to stop them. Nothing else matters," Shepard said bitterly. She swallowed the lump in her throat and climbed to her feet again.

She pressed them on with more urgency and they hurried towards the data hub. They began passing the pods the Collectors used to transport their victims, but found most of them empty. Shepard was caught off guard when she found a Collector in one of them. She shot it, but it didn't move. "Why is it in that pod?" Garrus asked. "And where are the rest of the Collectors?"

"This Collector also shows signs of experimentation." EDI replied.

"Experimenting on one of their own? Why?" Garrus bent down to get a closer look at it.

"It appears the Collectors were testing their genetic profile with human strands, looking for commonality."

"Why would they be comparing our DNA to theirs? None of this makes sense." Shepard looked down at the body grimly.

"I do not know, but my scans reveal an identical quad strand of DNA, known to only one species, the Protheans."

"Are you telling me this thing was once a Prothean?"

"The Collector DNA shows a significant amount of genetic rewrite and engineering. This Collector is little more than a drone."

"A drone for the Reapers. They did not destroy the Protheans, they enslaved them." Samara looked down at the pod. "I cannot imagine a worse fate."

"Prothean or not, they are still working for the Reapers, so they deserve to die. Let's move out."

They continued on after grabbing a few weapons that looked unique. They eventually found a platform that would take them to the data hub. It was in the middle of a giant cavern that held thousands more pods. "They could abduct all the extra-solar colonies and half of Earth with these," Shepard shook her head as she looked up. "We need to destroy this ship somehow."

Garrus was able to get EDI linked in and she began to process the data. The ship lurched slightly, startling the crew. "What the hell was that EDI, this ship is supposed to be dead?"

"There has been a massive power surge. It was not any sort of malfunction, this was a trap. I am trying to reroute power but there is someone else in the system."

"Someone else, get us the hell out of here!"

Far in the distance, two platforms began to move towards them. Shepard pulled out her rifle and caught sight of Collectors in her scope. "Damn it, we've got incoming hostiles. Take cover!" she shouted. Both platforms were full of Collectors and Scions. "What is taking so long, how do we get out of here?"

"I cannot access systems until I download all of the data. I am working over capacity to maintain control."

The strange Harbinger figure returned once again, taking control of one of the drones. He paid no attention to the rest of the squad's fire and concentrated his attacks on Shepard. Each time a group of Collectors died, a new group seemed to come on another platform. EDI finally regained control and stopped the platforms. She was able to move their platform to a safe location. "Are we okay?" Shepard asked.

"I managed to gather data on how to successfully navigate the Omega-4 relay. I also found the distress call that served as the lure for our visit. It was not from a Turian ship, but from the Collectors themselves. All Turian distress calls contain secondary encryption. This message's encryption is corrupted. The Illusive Man could not have believed this message was genuine."

"Lying son of a bitch!" Shepard shook her head. "The Illusive Man knew this was a trap and sent us anyway."

"I am going to kill him!" Jack cracked her knuckles.

"Commander, I don't want to alarm you, but the Collector ship is powering up. If its weapons come online we are dead." Joker radioed.

"I will hold them off as long as I can, but I do not have full control. I have sent coordinates for shuttle extraction." EDI added.

"Let's move. As fast as you can." Shepard barked.

She rushed the squad towards the coordinates EDI had sent to her omni-tool, but more Collectors stood in their way. "Damn it, where did all these things come from!" Shepard shouted. Another giant Praetorian intercepted them, blocking their way out. "If we make it out of this alive, I will kill the Illusive Man with my bare hands!" Shepard dove out of the way of the Praetorian's plasma beam. She had to keep moving to stay away from the deadly blast. The Praetorian finally fell with the last of Shepard's heavy weapon ammo.

They shot through more Collectors and eventually got back to the Kodiak. "Let's go!" Shepard pounded on the hull. She knew the Normandy would be ripped apart if they lingered. She stumbled out of the Kodiak as the Normandy bowed from evasive maneuvers. She fell to the ground and grasped a nearby crate for support. "Come on Joker, move your ass!" She called.

She soon felt the ship hit FTL and knew they were safe. She was exhausted and rested her head on the crate. "That was too close Commander. The Illusive Man risked all our lives." Jacob said.

"Well, I am going to go upstairs to give him a piece of my mind." She groaned as she pulled herself up from the crate.

She walked up to the comm room, without even bothering to take off her helmet. She threw it at the Illusive Man's hologram when he appeared. "You just nearly got us all killed. If I knew where you were, I would kill you right now!" Shepard threatened.

"Save your threats Shepard. Did you get the data?" He asked.

"Who the fuck cares about data? You put me, my ship and my entire squad in harms' way."

"I knew you could handle it, Shepard. I assume EDI got enough data to get us safely through the Omega-4 relay."

"A lot of good the data would have been if we were all dead. Once I destroy the Collectors, I will make it my life's mission to hunt you down and strangle you with my bare hands."

"Well, now that you have the data, you can get on with destroying the Collectors." He smiled in a devious way that said 'you can never touch me.'

Shepard shut off the entanglement and gritted her teeth. One way or another, she would see him dead. She changed out of her armor and called a post-mission meeting. "I know everyone is upset, I am upset too. The Illusive Man claims he was confident we could get the data safely, so he didn't actually put us in harms' way. We all know that is bullshit, but we still managed to do it. I am proud of all of you. EDI, what exactly did we get from all this? And what about that thing, that Harbinger from Horizon was there again. What does it want from me?"

"I can only surmise that the Collectors are controlled by a hive mind. A general is able to possess drones at will. As to why they are targeting you personally, that is beyond my reasoning capabilities. I did run an EM profile of the Collector ship while you were aboard. It was not only the same ship from Horizon, but it matched the profile of the ship that attacked the original Normandy. The data I recovered about the Omega-4 relay confirms that a friend-foe signal is needed to safely journey through."

"The same damn ship, for two years. That isn't coincidence."

"You destroyed a Reaper. I imagine this is just payback." Jacob tried to sound reassuring, but Shepard was still angry.

"So what about the signal? Is there a way we can mimic it?" Shepard wondered.

"I will began studying the data I have collected at once." EDI replied.

Shepard let out a long sigh and ran her hands through her hair. "Alright, everyone is dismissed. Get some rest, we have been through a lot. We are heading back to Tuchanka to pick up Mordin and Grunt, then we are going to stop back at the Citadel. I am buying everyone a drink."

"Not on your per diem," Miranda tried to smile. "I'll buy the drinks, the dancers too.


	73. Rite of Passage

The Normandy headed back towards the Krogan DMZ to pick up Mordin and Grunt. Mordin sent a message that everything with Maelon had been taken care of. He also noted that Grunt was getting increasing agitated waiting for Shepard, so she should return soon, unless the Collectors had killed her. Shepard smiled a bit a Mordin's dry humor and was anxious to get Mordin working on the Collector data they had retrieved.

The Kodiak set down in Urdnot territory again. The time of day was indiscernible because of a storm that was pounding the area with wind and dust. Shepard found Grunt among some of the other Urdnot, playing a strange game called _Cattuk_. It involved knives and Shepard pulled Grunt away before he lost a finger. "Are you ready for the Rite?" she asked him.

"I was born ready and I have been waiting. You will still fight as my _Krantt_?"

"Yes, that is why I am here."

"Then I will see the shaman and he will take us to the Keystone at once."

Shepard had hoped to have another day to prepare for the rite she knew nothing about. As she walked behind Grunt, she kicked herself for not searching the extranet for anything about it. The shaman was annoyed at Shepard's delay, but escorted them to a sand truck nonetheless. The truck was even more stuffy and stifling than the bunkers. Shepard already felt dehydrated by the time they reached the ancient temple and sweat was beading underneath her suit.

The shaman left them with the minimalists of instructions: touch the keystone and stay alive. "Great advice," Shepard looked at Grunt and Mordin with concern. Grunt touched the keystone and a loud voice boomed over a loudspeaker. It began retelling the history of the Krogan. They listened to the recording and waited. After a few moments, Grunt became angry.

"Is this it? I thought I was here to fight?" he yelled. Only moments later, a loud shriek echoed across the temple plaza.

"Why did you have to say that?" Shepard searched the sky for the source of the noise.

A giant beast swooped over them and began dropping dropping klixen into the plaza. "Spread out!" Shepard yelled. The kilxen moved quickly, but their hard exoskeletons provided little protection against heat rounds. After a few waves, the flying creature screeched and disappeared into the dark clouds again.

"That wasn't a challenge. I want a challenge!" Grunt yelled.

Shepard wanted to tell him to be quiet, but her throat was so dry she couldn't speak. The heat was starting to get to her, so she sat down for a moment. She pulled off her helmet so the breeze could cool her face. She was barely able to catch her breath before the next wave of varren hit. The varren were even quicker than the klixen and more unpredictable, but their thick hides burned easily. Shepard couldn't imagine what more could be planned for a young Krogan without expecting him to die, and sat down to rest again.

Grunt put up no protest this time, as a varren had caught him on the leg and he was bleeding slightly. "The pain feels good." Grunt said as he tied a piece of scrap over the wound.

"Mordin, how are you doing?" Shepard puffed. She wiped more sweat from her eyes.

"No worse than usual. Balmy temperature is well suited for Salarians."

"Yeah, I guess that is why I am the only one dragging ass. Let's get this over with." She stood up and could feel her suit sticking to her skin. She couldn't wait to take a shower.

Grunt touched the keystone once again, but there was no indication of another wave of beasts coming their way. After a while, Shepard wondered if the test was over. She had imagined Krogans liked to end the Rite with a bang, but the area was quiet. They waited until a low rumble could be felt. "What now?" Shepard sighed. It felt big and Shepard could only make an educated guess as to its source. She'd felt the ground shake in Mako tanks when a thresher maw was near. She saw its lure poke out of the ground first and frowned. "Of course it would be this." She said under her breath.

"Best get to cover." Mordin added. Shepard thought she finally heard some fear in his voice.

Fighting a thresher maw in a tank was hard enough, trying to do it on foot was nearly impossible. Shepard found some cover and pulled out her sniper rifle. She took a quick shot at the lure. The thresher maw's cry could be heard even from underground. It burst from the dusty earth and careened its head around in search of its attackers. Shepard put another round in its head as Grunt and Mordin began firing at the body.

The thresher maw disappeared again and moved to flank them. Shepard moved her team and readied another shot. The maw cried out even louder when another rifle blast hit its head. "Another shot should do it Shepard." Mordin called. The maw labored and went underground again and stayed under for a while. Shepard waited patiently and timed her shot. The maw spit out acid in a vain attempt, but it didn't go far. It swayed then fell to the dust with a loud thump.

"Yeah, take that!" Shepard yelled out, her throat hoarse. "Now someone get me some fucking water."

She collapsed on one of the crumbling stones and closed her eyes. She rested until she heard a truck pull up. She expected the shaman and his men, but it was Uvenk instead. "What the hell do you want?" Shepard climbed down from the rock. She felt dizzy from standing up too fast, but steadied herself.

"I had to see it to believe it," Uvenk said. "No one has killed a thresher maw since Urdnot Wrex."

"Yeah, well it is done." Shepard crossed her arms.

"Grunt would now be a welcome addition to clan Gatatog."

"Now be? You wanted to leave him out in the desert to die."

"Now that I have proved my worth, you think me worthy?" Grunt narrowed his small eyes.

"It is the way of the Krogan." Uvenk replied.

"Clan Urdnot accepted me how I am. Your clan is nothing." Grunt said.

"Clan Urdnot will fall and you with them. The sooner, the better."

Uvenk went for his shotgun, but Shepard was quicker with her omni-toll and incinerated his armor. Uvenk cried out and tried to put the flames out, as his men pulled their weapons. They were no match for Grunt's blood rage and soon died or surrendered. The shaman returned and jumped out of his truck abruptly. "Uvenk was a fool, but I didn't think he was this foolish," he shook his head. The other Gatatog cowered and he kicked at them. "Return to your clan and bring them to Urdnot, you _kisquid."_

"What happens now?" Shepard asked as one of his men handed her a canteen. She expected water but coughed up thick Krogan ale.

The shaman laughed and took the canteen from Shepard and took a long drink. "Grunt is now an adult. He can now lead a regiment or train under a battlemaster."

"I will stay by Shepard's side. She will be my battlemaster. I will learn much from her." Grunt spoke up.

"You will still need to chose a clan, there will be celebration." The shaman emptied the canteen and tossed it away.

"It will be Urdnot. My name will bring them glory."

"Wrex said the same." The shaman smiled.

They loaded back into the truck and returned to the Urdnot compound. By the time Shepard had gone to the Normandy to change and come back down, the celebration was well under way. There was roasted varren and pyjack stew and great casks of Krogan ale. Shepard had her fill of it, a stuck to water. She could hear sounds of fighting, mating, and betting over the roar of ancient Krogan battle songs. She found Wrex and sat down next to him. "Bring Grunt back from your mission alive, Shepard. He will strengthen the clan and finally help unite us all."

"I will do my best, Wrex. I will need all the help I can get when the Reapers show up."

"And how will the galaxy thank us this time, Shepard? We fought the Rachni and were neutered for it."

"I don't know. We need to put our differences aside until the Reapers are destroyed. We can fight each other after, I suppose."

Wrex laughed and grabbed a giant varren leg from the table. "Good luck Shepard."

Shepard let Grunt stay down on Tuchanka for the night and returned to the Normandy. They would be heading to the Citadel in the morning. Shepard hoped to talk to Kaidan, but she didn't know if he would listen. Even if she managed to stop the Collectors, the Reapers were still out there. She didn't know if there would ever be a day when they could be together with worry.

She suddenly began to contemplate the fragility of the galaxy. Turian and Human relations were still tentative, even after the attack on the Citadel. The Krogan still hated the Salarians for the genophage and the Asari were content to sit on Thessia and recite old Matriarch writings. Despite being exhausted, Shepard didn't sleep well. Stopping the Collectors seemed an easier task than convincing the galaxy to unite against the Reapers


	74. Vengeance

It was a short trip from Tuchanka to the Citadel, but it seemed to take forever. Grunt was violently ill from drinking too much Krogan ale and didn't stop complaining about how horrible he felt. He turned some of the crew off of Shepard's plan to buy everyone drinks once they got to the Citadel. The lower decks cleared out for most of their journey. Miranda and Shepard had already arranged a tab at Darkstar for those who still wanted to celebrate their fight against the Collectors. Shepard already planned to go straight to Anderson's office as soon as she arrived. If anyone knew where Kaidan was, Anderson would, and Shepard wouldn't take a refusal this time.

They were able to dock quickly and the crew disembarked to resupply and get a good meal in before drinking. Shepard changed into a plain outfit and headed to the Presidium. When she entered Anderson's office, she immediately frowned. "Shepard, you're back?" Udina looked at her. He was seated in Anderson's chair and had rearranged the photos on his desk to suit his needs.

"Where the hell is Anderson?" Shepard asked.

"The Ambassador is on business off the Citadel. I am sitting in his place."

Shepard could feel her fists balling up in anger, both over Udina and knowing that she wouldn't be able to find out where Kaidan was. Udina seemed too proud to finally be serving as temporary ambassador and it made Shepard want to punch him. She excused herself instead, saying she just wanted to stop by to say hello to her old captain. "For what it is worth Shepard, I commend what you are doing." Udina said as she was leaving.

"Yeah, I figured Cerberus would be right up your alley," she sneered under her breath as she walked out. She suddenly imagined squeezing Udina's head between her hands until it burst.

All of her hopes of seeing Kaidan were quickly dashed, so she trudged back down to the wards to meet Garrus. He'd gone to get information about Sidonis and Shepard was supposed to meet him in front of the Fishdog Food Factory Grill. She made a quick detour to a public extranet terminal to check residences in the off chance Kaidan was listed. She couldn't find his name, so she stormed off after breaking the screen with her fist.

Garrus was waiting at one of the tables around the food court when she arrived. "What have you found out?" Shepard asked.

"Apparently Sidonis was put into hiding by someone called Fade, who seems to have made a career of making people disappear."

"And did you track down this, Fade?"

"He operates out of a warehouse on Zakera Ward. I figure we could go by and pay him a visit."

"Let's do it then." Shepard nodded.

It wasn't far to the warehouse that looked unassuming from the outside. A "For Rent" advertisement was projected on the door, making it appear to be vacant. When they slipped inside, the warehouse was full of old furniture and crates. They could hear a voice among the maze of junk and followed it. A volus stood looking over a datapad, unaware of their presence. "Fade?" Shepard asked, startling the volus.

"Yes, I am Fade." The volus rasped. Garrus pulled out his pistol and immediately pointed it at him.

"I, what is the meaning of this? You must have the wrong person?"

"You helped a Turian disappear a few months ago, I want some answers," Garrus growled and cocked the pistol.

"Okay, okay. I am not Fade. I am just an intermediary," the volus cowered in a whimpering tone.

"I kind of figured a hardened criminal wouldn't be quivering in his enviro suit," Shepard laughed.

"I need Fade. I want you to set up a meeting. Tell him you have someone else who wants to disappear."

"Uh, uh okay," the volus said tentatively.

"And make sure it is believable. If he runs, you are dead." Shepard flashed her biotics for a moment.

"I have feeling I am already dead," the volus sighed. He waddled over to his terminal and called Fade.

"I recognize that voice. It was someone I used to work with at C-Sec. Harkin." Garrus said as they left the warehouse. The volus had run off after making the call, but they didn't bother to follow him.

"Harkin? I remember him." Shepard frowned.

"He is a real piece of work Shepard. I know him too well. He will spot me a mile away. You are going to have to do the meeting."

"What if Harkin remembers me?"

"We are meeting him in a public place. With a pistol pointed at him, he won't run, he is too big of a coward." Garrus handed Shepard the pistol he was carrying.

"I've got no place to hide this, he will see it right away."

"What about that?" Garrus pointed to a long jacket in a store front nearby.

"This is no time to go shopping," Shepard joked. She already knew what Garrus was thinking. She went inside and purchased the jacket and ripped the right pocket open. The pistol would stay hidden under it and to everyday eyes, it would just look like Shepard had her hand in her pocket.

They staked out the meeting place and Garrus found a hiding spot nearby. Shepard waited around and watched Harkin sit down from afar. She positioned the gun and strode casually towards him. When she got close enough, he recognized her. "Shepard, I remember you," he stood up suspiciously.

"Sit down!" Shepard barked, moving the jacket aside so she was sure he saw the gun.

He sat down uneasily and kept his eyes trained on the pistol. "What the hell do you want from me? I never did nothing to you?" he asked.

"I'm not the one who is after you," Shepard smiled.

"Garrus, I should have known," Harkin frowned as Garrus sat down moments later.

"Give me everything you have on Sidonis and you might leave with both your balls," Garrus said, as Harkin winced. Shepard didn't want to imagine what was going on under the table.

"Screw you Garrus," Harkin replied and immediately cried out in pain as Garrus inched closer.

"Let's go for a little walk," Garrus pulled Harkin up by the shirt. Shepard saw him slipped a talon knife back into his suit as he picked Harkin up with his other arm.

"We're all friends here," Shepard grabbed Harkin's arm and helped lead him out of the open plaza. Garrus eventually shoved him down a deserted alley. "Start talking before he pulls that knife out again," Shepard said, holding the gun on him.

"What do you want to know? I helped Sidonis disappear, that's all." Harkin said.

"I want you to get him out of hiding. Tell him you think his safety has been compromised and he needs to be moved, anything to get out him in the open."

"So you can kill him Garrus? You've fallen pretty far for a big shot C-Sec officer."

Garrus kicked him in the shin, making Harkin drop to his knees. "You are no better than me," Harkin managed to laugh through his grimace.

"At least I left C-Sec on my own terms. Now make the call."

"Do it," Shepard cocked her pistol. "If you give us up, I have a Krogan that likes ripping heads off things. Have Sidonis in front of Fishdog Food Factory Grill in an hour."

Harkin glared at her, but opened his omni-tool. "Hey, it is me. We might have a problem. We are going to have to move you. I am sending someone to relocate you in an hour. Tasty Fish Factory Grill."

"I understand," the voice on the other end replied and cut off.

"There Garrus. Do your worst to him, I don't care. Nothing will make you less than a piece of shi-" Harkin said before Garrus punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious.

"Was that him?" Shepard asked.

"Yeah, that was him."

"Alright, now how do you want to play this?"

"Sidonis catches one glimpse of me and he is gone. You will obviously have to pose as Harkin's contact. I'll find someplace to hide with my rifle. He won't know what hit him."

"Are you sure about this Garrus?" Shepard wondered. Garrus had never sounded so bitter, yet regretful. She didn't think killing Sidonis would make him any less angry.

"I am never sure about anything, but I am sure about this." Garrus replied, but Shepard didn't hear confidence in his voice.

It was late afternoon when they returned to the food court. The late lunch rush was just dissipating, so it was more crowded than Shepard would have liked. The wards were no stranger to random violence, so a shooting wouldn't draw as much attention, but Shepard still didn't like it. Garrus was better than this, but Shepard didn't want to lecture him. She waited outside the grill, acting like she was waiting for someone. A few minutes after the hour, Garrus radioed her. "That's him Shepard, blue suit with the red piping on the sides."

He sounded nervous and unsure, and Shepard didn't like the idea of someone shaky with a sniper rifle pointed in her direction. Sidonis stopped and looked around nervously. As Shepard approached, she could see he was shaking as well. "Sidonis?" she asked, as he jumped at the mention of his name.

"You are Fade's contact?" Sidonis asked, his voice cracking.

"Relax, you have nothing to worry about." Shepard lied. She felt slight pity for the shivering turian in front of her.

"I don't even know why I bother," Sidonis muttered. "What use is it being safe if I can't even sleep, I can't even eat?"

"Are you really so nervous?" Shepard asked. She could hear Garrus in her radio, but ignored him.

"I betrayed my friends and got them all killed just to save myself. I have to live with that everyday. I just wish someone would get it over with."

"Take a few steps away Shepard, so I can get the shot." Garrus radioed.

"No Garrus. This isn't you." Shepard radioed back.

"Garrus?" Sidonis said, fearing flashing on his face. He moved to run, but Shepard grabbed his arm.

"Move and you are dead."

"Damn it Shepard what are you doing?" Garrus asked.

"You aren't a killer Garrus. Killing Sidonis won't bring back your squad."

"Yeah but," Garrus' voice faded.

"If Garrus wants to kill me, let him. I don't deserve to live. Or I will turn myself into C-Sec as soon as I leave. My friends deserve justice for what I did. I'm tired, I'm just so, tired." Sidonis said. in a defeated tone. He lowered his head and raised his arms, leaving himself vulnerable from all angles.

"It is your choice Garrus," Shepard turned towards where she thought he was. "Decide what your idea of justice is."

The radio was silent for a while as Shepard tried to spot Garrus' perch. She almost expected to hear the ping of Garrus' rifle, but she heard a long sigh instead. "Tell him to get out of here before I change my mind," Garrus said.

Shepard turned back to Sidonis and said "Get yourself over to C-Sec."

Sidonis lowered his arms, looking both relieved and slightly disappointed. Shepard wondered if he would have preferred death. "Tell, tell Garrus thank you. And I'm sorry." Sidonis lumbered away and left Shepard standing alone.

"You did the right thing Garrus. You are a better person than most." Shepard radioed.

"Yeah," Garrus replied begrudgingly. "I will, I will see you back on the ship." She heard the radio click off and wondered if Garrus would be okay. He'd been set on revenge for years and now he'd just let it walk away.

Shepard hadn't eaten all day and the smell of frying meat stirred her stomach. She wandered over to the grill station and ordered some food. She was in a contemplative mood and sat brooding over her Tummy Tingling Tuchanka varren. She didn't bother to look up when someone sat down at the bar next to her. The late lunch rush had gone and the bar had been deserted when Shepard sat down. She'd been hit on enough times to know that whoever had sat down next to her hoped to strike up a conversation. She wasn't in the mood to be bothered and kept her face towards her food. When the cook passed the bill over the counter, the man next to her reached out to grab it. "Look, don't bother. I am not interested." Shepard said angrily as she turned to the man. Her mouth dropped instantly when she saw Kaidan sitting in front of her


	75. Space Opera

**I had to leave the story on a cliff hanger again. I am evil, I know. :D I've been reading A Song of Fire and Ice and that is how I got hooked into reading all the books in a few weeks straight! Thought I'd try that trick! Thanks for sticking with me. Still trying to finish this segment before Mass Effect 3 hits, so I will be updating as fast as I can.**

"I was starting to think you'd never look up," Kaidan managed to smile at Shepard's dumbfounded face.

"Wha, what are you doing here?" Shepard stumbled over her words. She had no feelings at the moment other than complete shock.

"I wanted to make sure you were staying out of trouble."

"How did you find me?" she wondered.

"I put a tracer in C-Sec's security interface. It let me know you'd come through."

"So you've been following me?"

"For a little while," he lowered his eyes and handed back the bill pad. "I see you are still trying to help solve other people's problems."

"You know me, I can't say no when people ask for help." Shepard said without thinking. She instantly hoped the remark hadn't cut too deep. Cerberus had asked her for help and she knew Kaidan hated her for that.

"Yeah, I know too well," he sighed. An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment before the chef came by to see if the bill had been signed. Shepard scribbled a tip without even looking. "How long are you staying here on the Citadel?"

"I don't know," Shepard lied. "We came here to resupply." She'd come here with the sole intent of tracking him down. Helping Garrus and buying the crew drinks had only been a gesture of friendship.

"Maybe we could have, dinner or something?" He hesitated each word.

"I'd like that." Shepard managed a smile.

"I will meet you in front of the Conduit at eight then." He stood up to leave and gently touched her shoulder as he left.

Shepard got up and walked aimlessly from the restaurant. She didn't know where she was going or what she was doing. A thousand questions passed through her mind. 'How long had he been following her? Why did he want to talk at dinner? Was he going to arrest her? Ask her to come back to the Alliance? End things for good?'

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kasumi uncloaking next to her. "He's cute," she said.

"For fuck's sake, don't do that!" Shepard jumped back. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I was doing a little shopping when you came in to buy that jacket. I saw him following you, so I thought I would follow him for a little while."

"Shopping, more like stealing," Shepard tried to calm herself. Her nerves were razor thin at the moment.

"You aren't wearing that for your date are you? You could use some shopping yourself. Make him remember why he loved you in the first place."

"We are just going to talk. I don't even know what he wants."

"He was following you around for hours. I think he knows what he wants." Kasumi grinned. "Here, come on," she grabbed Shepard's arm and dragged her towards the shops on Kithoi Ward.

They walked past a few clothing stores until a dress caught Kasumi's eye. "Now that is the dress for you," she stopped. It was an elegant black dress with a pointed leather corset and flowing silk skirt. Shepard followed Kasumi inside and looked at the price tag.

"This is 135,000 credits, I don't even drop that kind of money on guns," she protested.

"But feel this silk, it is like a cloud. You should get it." Kasumi slid some of the skirt through her fingers and smiled.

"Despite the Illusive Man dropping billions of creds to rebuild me, he is pretty stingy with his per diem. And any money I had to my name was wiped out when I died. I am going to look at the sale area."

Shepard found a simple blue dress that was half price. "What about this?" Shepard asked, coming out of the dressing room. Kasumi was no where in sight. "Damn it," Shepard stormed back into the dressing room. The dress was unflattering and too long for her small frame. She returned it to the rack and walked out of the store. "You are right here, aren't you?" Shepard asked as she walked away. Kasumi uncloaked, a large bag in her hand.

"You didn't steal it did you?" Shepard shook her head.

"And a nice pair of shoes," Kasumi smiled. "I'll put it back if you don't want to keep it."

"I hope you at least stole something for yourself, klepto," Shepard tried to hid a little bit of a smile.

"Of course," Kasumi grinned. "I only steal the best for myself and my friends. Now, we just have to do something about that hair."

Shepard wanted to protest making such a fuss over a simple dinner, but Kasumi seemed genuinely excited to help her get ready. They returned back to the Normandy where Kasumi happily began helping Shepard with her hair and makeup. "I always wanted to go to one of those fancy costume balls. Keiji and I once stone a jewel from the collection of a baroness who was having one. It looked so exciting," Kasumi smiled and pinned a piece of Shepard's hair up.

"We never lose that fantasy of being of princess and waiting for our prince, no matter how deep we fight it or bury it." Shepard tried not to frown. Kaidan had been everything she'd ever wanted out of a man and she was on the verge of losing him. "I just don't want to expect too much from tonight. He may just want to end things more gently than an argument."

"I am sure it is going to work out. If not, you will always have your good memories," Kasumi replied. She returned to pinning Shepard's hair.

"How did you get over Keiji?" Shepard finally asked.

"Over?" Kasumi half laughed. "We broke into a famous smuggler's vault so I could retrieve his memories. I don't think I will ever be over him, but maybe I will find someone else who makes me feel the same way."

"Thank you Kasumi."

"Oh, it is no problem, I like doing hair. I think if I wasn't a thief, I might have had my own spa or something."

"I mean for being here. I haven't had many friends to talk to, especially about these kind of things."

"Just get him back, okay," Kasumi sniffled quietly. "Maybe he has some attractive friends."

Shepard knew she and Kasumi were the same; hardened women who tried to hide their emotions but still had a soft place in their heart that craved love. It was a need that filled them with as much shame as it did lust. Emotions were a weakness people would take every opportunity to exploit. Killing Keiji had been the best way to make Kasumi slip up, but she had somehow maintained her composure.

Kasumi finished Shepard's hair and excused herself after wishing her good luck. It was only seven, so Shepard sat in her cabin for an hour scrutinizing herself. The dress was beautiful and suited her body, but it exposed her shoulders and horrific scar that ran from her collar bone to her back. She half thought about changing, but knew Kasumi would be upset that her 200,000 credit thieving spree was for nothing. Shepard put on the new stilettos Kasumi had stolen and slipped off the ship without anyone seeing her.

She walked across the Presidium towards the Relay Monument, fuming at Kasumi's shoe choice. They hadn't been wore in and the glossy leather dug at the tops her her feet. Kaidan was no where to be seen, so she stood waiting. She began to wonder about the significance of meeting at the Conduit. They had passed through it right after Ilos and Shepard had been happy then. They'd stopped Saren and Sovereign and gone off on a blissful vacation. Then only months later, Shepard was dead.

She finally saw Kaidan hurriedly approaching with flowers in his hand. "Sorry," he blushed, catching her eyes. "There was a line and I couldn't get out."

"They are beautiful," Shepard smiled. "Thank you." She thought about giving him a kiss, but he was standing too far away from her. His distance from her made her heart ache. 'This is just dinner' she told herself.

"We can take a cab over or walk. It isn't far."

"A cab is fine," Shepard switched the weight of her feet to keep her shoe from digging in.

It was only a short cab ride to the restaurant Kaidan had chosen. It looked upscale and the entire staff was made up of Asari. The hostess seated them and handed them their menus. "Special occasion?" she asked cheerfully. "Engagement maybe? You two look so wonderful."

"No, nothing like that," Kaidan replied, casting his eyes down. He looked as handsome as Shepard did, even if he was still in Alliance clothing. He had put on a thick black sweater with Alliance chevrons embroidered on the sleeves and a dress shirt underneath. His formal dress shoes had been polished until they gleamed.

"Oh, well can I get either of you something to drink," the hostess seemed embarrassed, sensing the awkwardness at the table.

"I'll have a glass of the Thessian red please," Kaidan asked.

Shepard knew Kaidan rarely drank and wondered if he was drinking up the courage to dump her for good. "I'll have the same." Her throat tightened and she glued her eyes to her menu. She didn't even read it, but couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. The hostess left and silence hung in the air. The tables in the restaurant were separated by panels and overlooked a round lake. Only the sound of an occasional glass tinkling or chair moving penetrated their awkward space. Kaidan finally let out a loud sigh and spoke.

"Hell, Rachael, I don't know what we are going to do. I love you and I think you love me. This whole damn galaxy is so screwed up, we can't even be together."

She bit her lip, trying to swallow the lump in her throat, but it wouldn't go down. He almost never called her by her first name unless he was upset or in her arms. She wanted to tell him everything that had happened in the last two months. The Lazarus Project, the new Normandy, the Illusive Man's plans and lies, the Collector ship. She was frozen in fear, however, and couldn't speak. "It is our duty," she finally managed.

"Why is it our responsibility? We already stopped Saren. We should have the whole damn Council's support! I was standing right next to you when we talked to Vigil. The Reapers aren't going to stop."

"That is why I am doing all this," she said, her body shaking. "The Illusive Man has already tried to kill me once, but he has the money and information to get us through the Omega-4 Relay."

"You, you are going to try to go through the Omega Relay?" Kaidan seemed shocked. Everyone knew it was practically a death sentence.

The waitress interrupted their conversation and took their dinner orders. Shepard didn't even care what she ordered and read the first thing her eyes fell on. "The show should be starting any minute now," the waitress added before excusing herself. Before Shepard could ask her, the lights around the restaurant dimmed and a single blue spotlight appeared on the lake in front of their table. Apparently each night the restaurant boasted a biotic water and light show for its guest. She and Kaidan would have no chance to talk until dinner was over.


	76. One Last Night

The biotic show was enjoyable and Shepard was glad for something to fill the awkwardness that had clung to dinner. She and Kaidan hadn't said anything to each other since the waitress had come by to interrupted them just as the tension had peaked. Shepard didn't know what to say. Kaidan knew what she was about to do and it sounded like he didn't approve. They sat watching the show in silence and picking at their food. Kaidan had a few glasses of wine compared to Shepard's one, which made her a little regretful for coming. She couldn't imagine what she was putting Kaidan through and had fleeting thoughts of just running out of the restaurant.

As they walked out of the restaurant with the small crowd, Kaidan took her hand for a moment. It was a hesitant grasp that told Shepard that he still didn't know what he wanted. They walked quietly back over to the cab depot and waited. "I have a few of your things in my apartment you might want. Your medals and awards. Anderson asked me to clean out your apartment after you," he paused and let go of her hand.

"Okay," she managed to get out, as her throat began to tighten again. 'He is giving me back my stuff, that is the last thing before saying it is over,' she thought to herself. She slid into the cab next to him but kept her distance and looked down at her shoes. She kept blinking to keep the tears out of her eyes. She felt sick to her stomach and hoped she at least had to composure not to retch up her dinner.

Kaidan's apartment was on Bachjret Ward, so it took ten minutes for the cab to get to his block. His apartment was small, the same layout as Shepard's, but he had the couches arranged differently. Shepard's things were already sitting out on the table in front of one of the couches. It looked like they'd been rummaged through recently. "Here's everything," Kaidan walked to the table.

A framed photo sat on top of the pile. It was one of the photos from the magazine exposé Shepard had found on the extranet. The headlines had been cut away so only the picture remained. Shepard reached for the photo just as Kaidan did, so their hands met. He held onto her wrist gently and sighed. "I've went through this box so many times and it made me realize why I still love you. And why I can never have you." He looked down at her eyes with a glum face. "You are a soldier and you always will be. You will do what is takes to keep people safe, even if it means suicide. I just, I just can't bear to lose you again Rachael."

"But I don't want to do it without you." She bit her lip and tried to fight off more tears. "And you never lost me. You were my first thought when I woke up. There isn't a point to saving the galaxy if you aren't in my life." One tear managed to slip down her face and she turned her eyes away from him.

He wiped the tear away with his hand softly and move her face back towards his. "I can't leave the Alliance, no more than you can leave this mission you are on. The Collectors have to be stopped, just like Saren had to be stopped." The hand that was on her arm slid up to her shoulder and pulled her closer. "I don't want just one night with you, like Ilos. I want our whole lives."

"I'd promise you it, if I knew I was coming back alive, but there is no guarantee. I am doing all that I can, but it might not be enough."

"It has to be enough. I can't live without you." He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her tightly. He took the long piece of hair Kasumi had left out and entwined his fingers in it. She pressed back against him and squeezed him tightly. She didn't know if she could ever let go. She lifted her face and met his, but hesitated to kiss him for a moment. His lips were as smooth as she remembered and she could smell his familiar aftershave. He kissed her deeper and let his tongue slide into her mouth. He ran his hands along her back and across her scarred shoulder, which made her pull away. "I'm sorry, I just thought," he apologized as she turned her face from his again.

"It isn't you." She tried to reassure him. "I just feel, different. I've got all these scars and," she sighed.

"You're still beautiful, you always will be." He traced his finger along the scar and let his hand linger above her breast. "Besides, they make you look dangerous."

Shepard laughed slightly and squeezed him. "Come on, let's sit down." She pulled him by the arm and sat down on the couch next to him and slipped off her heels.

"Look at your feet," he exclaimed, seeing the deep red welts from her new shoes. He took both of them in his hands.

"I didn't pick the shoes out."

"Well here," he added, beginning to massage her feet with his hands. He worked at her feet, then moved up to her legs. By the time he reached her thighs she was trembling. She leaned over to kiss him again. He pressed her back on the couch and began fidgeting with the ties on the dress.

"Shouldn't we talk about what to do next, us I mean?" she asked.

"We can talk in the morning," he kissed her. He had waited for two years, never expecting to ever see her alive and Shepard couldn't deny him.

She finally felt something she hadn't felt for a long time. She never wanted to lose the feeling again. Kaidan fumbled with the lacing on her dress, but couldn't seem to figure it out. "How do I get you out of this thing?" he whispered against her neck, his manhood pressing against her thighs.

Shepard smiled and helped unlace and wiggle the dress off. "Come on," he helped her off the couch and led her to the bed. She helped him undress and pressed him down on the bed. She wrapped her legs around him tightly and didn't let go. She had forgotten who good it felt to be in a man's arms, especially Kaidan's. He still remembered every spot of her body and brought her to pleasure more times than she could remember. She fell asleep in exhausted afterglow, nestled next to his chest. "I love you Rachael," he whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

"I love you too." She nuzzled closer to him and finally felt safe.

She woke in the early morning, Kaidan still quietly asleep beside her. As soon as she looked at him sleeping so peacefully, she knew she had to leave. If she stayed to talk to him, she would never be able to leave him. His arm rested on her hip, so she had to slide it carefully away. She kissed it gently before setting it down. She slid her legs to floor and sat at the edge of the bed thinking. 'Could she wake him and beg him to come with her? Could she say no if he asked her to stay?' She turned to look at him and knew she couldn't. The Collectors were targeting her and they might try to come after him again. She had to get as far away from him as possible and do everything she could to stop them.

She climbed out of bed carefully and gathered up her clothes. She didn't want to take the time to lace her dress up again and took his sweater off the floor. It was long enough to cover her but cold from being on the floor. She stopped at the box on the table, her medals lying carefully on her old Alliance beret. She picked up the Silver Heart she'd been awarded for courage and set it on the table. She scribbled a note that she left next to it. "Kaidan, you will always have my heart, no matter what happens. I will always love you. Shepard."

She tucked her clothes into the box and slipped out of his apartment after one last painful glance at his sleeping figure. She hailed a cab so she didn't have to walk across half the Citadel in a short sweater and no shoes. "Rough night?" the cab driver snickered as she climbed in.

"Just drive." Shepard said angrily.

The Normandy was quiet when she returned and she stopped by to have Joker plot a new course away from the station. She found him asleep in his chair, a bottle of water and a trash can next to him. She had forgotten all about the bar tab at Darkstar and imagined more than a few of the crew were hung over. She quietly whispered to EDI to head towards the Citadel relay on autopilot. She slipped back into her cabin and crawled into bed. She could still smell Kaidan on the sweater she'd taken and it felt like torture to know she might never see him again. She curled up and cried softly, hoping she'd be able to come back to him. She knew he wouldn't be safe while the Collectors and Reapers still prowled the galaxy. She was determined to do anything to keep him safe or die trying.


	77. Lt Fuzzypants

Shepard didn't sleep, but still lingered in bed wrapped in Kaidan's sweater. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted leaving how she did. She wanted to tell him over and over how much she needed him, but deep down she knew he would never have come with her. She finally climbed out of bed and found a message from Kasumi, wondering how the date had gone. She also mentioned that she had covered up for Shepard's absence at the bar with an embarrassing story about a rash. Shepard was a little annoyed at the story, but no one else needed to know about Kaidan, especially anyone loyal to Cerberus.

She changed and carefully put Kaidan's sweater away, hoping his smell would linger in it forever. She stopped by Kasumi's room to thank her again. Kasumi was dozing in a chair overlooking the window, an ice pack on her head. She waved unenthusiastically as Shepard entered. "I can come back," Shepard asked.

"No, it's fine as long as I don't open my eyes," she half laughed.

"Thanks for helping me last night and covering for me too."

"What are friends for?" she sat up and held the pack against her forehead. "You might want to have Dr. Chakwas double check everyone's birth control injections."

"That crazy huh?' Shepard grinned.

"Well, Gabby and Ken slipped off for a while, but they could have just been talking shop. Joker met some waitress, but once he started making jokes, she seemed less interested. Jacob and Miranda, are they, close?"

"I think they used to be. Why, are you interested?"

"Well, Jacob is handsome. And strong, but, he just doesn't seem to want to open up to anyone. What good is a pair of abs if they never want to talk?"

"You never know, maybe he is just shy."

"Maybe," Kasumi replaced the ice pack. "You never said how last night went? You got back pretty early this morning."

"I think there is hope for us yet, if I manage to stay alive and save the galaxy again."

Kasumi laughed, but held her head. Shepard excused herself and went to check on Garrus. She could hear giggling coming from the main battery and wondered if Garrus had found a companion among the crew as well. Instead, she found a small hamster crawling along his talons, as he grinned at it. "Shepard!" Garrus seemed slightly startled and tried to hide the hamster in his hands.

"What have you got there?" Shepard sat down across from him, grinning widely.

"Oh, uh. Well, I was walking around yesterday, fuming after you convinced me to let Sidonis go. Then I realized you were right, killing him wouldn't fix the past and it wouldn't make me feel any better about myself. So I decided to get you a present." He held the furry creature towards her, its small head peeking out of his talons.

"You bought me fish before and now a hamster. Do you get a discount at the pet store?" Shepard joked.

"I thought you'd like it." He seemed a little disappointed.

"I was joking Garrus. It's, I just didn't have pets growing up." She took the hamster from Garrus and held it in her hands. It managed to wiggle out and ran up her arm and climbed into her hair. "Oh, oh no." Shepard tried to grab the hamster.

"Here," Garrus tried to help. He managed to get ahold of it and remove it from Shepard's hair. "You have to hold it like this," he showed her. "I even got a little house for him, er her. I am not sure."

He put the hamster in the small glass cage and put the lid on. The hamster quickly scurried inside the little wooden house. "You seem good with it. Have you had one before?" Shepard asked.

"No, but we had a lot of vermin on Palaven. People fry them in the streets."

Shepard wrinkled her nose and picked up the case. "So what should I call it? Lieutenant Fuzzy Pants?"

Garrus laughed for a moment. "Actually I like that."

"Fuzzy Pants is is then. Thank you Garrus. If you ever want to come up and visit it, feel free."

Shepard took her new pet back to her cabin and managed to find it a spot near her desk. She had no idea what to feed it and began searching the extranet for hamster food. While she was browsing, she got a message that the Illusive Man wanted to speak to her. "What the hell does he want now?" She said to herself as she rode the elevator down to the comm room. He sat in his usual chair, smoking a half gone cigarette.

"Shepard, we may have a solution to the friend/foe signal. A team of researchers have been studying a derelict Reaper drifting in a decaying orbit around the brown dwarf Mnemosyne. The same super weapon that created the Great Rift Valley on Klendagon, also must have taken out this ship. Probably some vain attempt by one of the races the Reapers destroyed millions of years ago."

"You've had access to a dead Reaper and you are just now telling me?" Shepard interrupted.

"We didn't have anything concrete until you boarded the Collector vessel. Now we know for sure that the Identify Friend/Foe signal is the key to getting through the relay. I tried to contact the research team but they were unresponsive."

"Well that bodes well. Is this another trap you've set up to test me?"

The Illusive Man frowned at her tone but said nothing. "Once you reach the Reaper ship, all you need to do is acquire the IFF."

"Yeah, like it will be that easy," Shepard shut off the comm link. She felt trapped and was angry. She'd put herself in a situation where she had to rely on the Illusive Man's intel alone. She had no idea what his intentions were. He might want to preserve humanity at the cost of everything else, including her and her crew. She called the crew into the room and told them the situation.

"We're not being sent into another trap, are we?" Jack asked.

"I said the same thing and the Illusive Man didn't seem pleased. But we need the IFF if we are going to hit the Collectors' home base. We will pass through the Hawking Eta relay and work our way to Mnemosyne. The first sign of trouble and we hit FTL back towards the relay."

"Understood Commander," Miranda and the rest of the crew nodded. Garrus and Joker lingered when the rest of the crew drifted off.

"I don't know about this Shepard," Joker shook his head. "We are the only ones on the crew that have seen first hand what a Reaper ship can do."

"The Illusive Man said it is millions of years old. If it was still active, a research team could never have got on board. Unless it was just biding its time. And with the Reapers, I would expect no less," Shepard put her hands over her eyes. "We need that IFF and I only have the Illusive Man's intel to go on. I just don't know."

"Your plan sounds solid." Garrus tried to sound reassuring. The Normandy's stealth will get us close and if we see trouble, we can leave. Besides, maybe we can take some pictures and mail them to the Council."

"That's the best idea yet," Shepard was able to smile a little bit. "Well, let's all get some rest. I need everyone to be sharp, you especially Joker."

"Just keep Yeoman Chambers bringing me coffee and I will be fine."

"I will send her in a red catsuit with a double expresso if we manage to pull this off."

Joker seemed to fancy the idea, but Shepard just grabbed his hat and threw it down the hall. Shep returned to her cabin and looked over the star chart for the Thorne system. Mnemosyne was a brown dwarf, but otherwise unremarkable. She was nervous about the lack of communication, but she was almost looking forward to seeing another dead Reaper. She wondered if the ship could provide some details about the weapon that had managed to take it down. She changed out of her uniform and back into Kaidan's sweater. It still smelled like him and it kept her warm in the drafty cabin. She fed her hamster some fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen and climbed into bed. She finally managed to sleep after reassuring herself that the Reaper was dead and that she would do everything it took to destroy the rest


	78. Dead Nemesis

Shepard paced around the Normandy anxiously, waiting to arrive at the derelict Reaper. They had already passed through the Hawking Eta relay and were currently running in stealth mode. Shepard busied herself by talking to the crew and bothering Joker on the bridge. She waited next to him, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. "Will you cut that out, you are making me nervous," he said.

"How far out are we? When will we be in visual range?"

"Still three hours out, visual range any moment. EDI, anything on the long range scanners?"

"I detect the Reaper vessel as well as another ship of indeterminate origin. We will need to be closer before I can give an accurate scan."

"Another ship? Could it be a shuttle from the research team or someone else? Alliance?" Shepard wondered.

"We will need to be closer before that can be determined." EDI repeated.

"I know EDI, I am just thinking out loud." Shepard replied. "Alright, I can't stand this. I am going to walk around some more."

"I'll let you know once I hear something." Joker was glad to have her gone and took another long sip of coffee. He hadn't been able to sleep much after learning what they were going after. The Normandy's fight against Sovereign still haunted his dreams from time to time.

Shepard wandered around the ship for a while until Joker called her back up to the bridge. "What is it?" Shepard asked, coming up behind him.

"Visuals from EDI, it is a Geth ship docked on the Reaper. Should we go?" Joker asked.

"Geth? It isn't normal for them to be out this far. There have been hardly any incursions outside of the Veil for nearly a year and a half. How were they not seen by a patrol?"

"The Geth vessel is only a scout ship, many scanners would pass it over." EDI announced.

"Well, that is probably why the research team never checked in. What the hell are they doing?" Shepard wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but I think we should get out of here," Joker replied.

"We need that IFF, the Geth may be trying to get it too. EDI, that Reaper is dead for sure?"

"Life support systems maintained by the research team are still active and the Reaper's mass effect core is maintaining the ship's current orbit."

"Alright, we don't have a choice. I knew this wasn't going to be easy. If I have to kill a few Geth to get us through that relay, so be it."

"Sure," Joker sighed.

"We've got weapons on this ship if the Geth pull away. You'll need to keep the ship close in case of problems."

Shepard called the team down to the shuttle and debriefed them in the cargo bay. "Any idea what the Geth are doing? Could any of the research team still be alive?" Garrus asked.

"We won't know until we get aboard, but the Geth die like anything else. Stock up on disrupter heat clips, most of the Geth use shields."

The team geared up and waited for the Normandy to rendezvous with the Reaper. There was a brief quiet when the Reaper appeared on the vid screen in the shuttle. "Look at the size of it! What kind of weapon took that thing down?" Jack marveled.

"One that wasn't enough to stop them all," Shepard frowned. It was easy to forgot how formidable one Reaper looked, let alone an entire fleet. The nightmares Shepard still had weren't even close to the reality.

The shuttle did a quick pass of the Reaper and the Geth ship remained in place. They docked at the makeshift airlock the Cerberus team had made in one of the great gashes in the ship. Shepard wondered how soon the Geth would greet them. The research team had retrofitted a pod on the outside of the ship and the pod was filled with burned bodies. Shepard stopped at the first terminal they found. "EDI, any indication of where the Geth are? We've got casualties in here." Shepard radioed. She began to scan the terminal for data.

"I am reading very faint signs of both organic and inorganic life. The Reaper's mass effect core may be interfering with my scans."

There were a few video logs from the head researcher Dr. Chandana, who appeared to be slowly losing his mind. "It sounds like Indoctrination. Even a dead Reaper can do that?" Garrus wondered.

"That'd be just our luck." Shepard shook her head. "I don't plan on staying long enough to find out. Let's move out."

They headed towards the airlock that would lead them into the proper Reaper ship. As soon as they approached, the ship lurched slightly. "What the hell was that EDI? I thought you said this thing was dead?" Shepard yelled.

"The kinetic barriers of the ship have reactivated. It may be an automatic response. I will not be able to shut them down, nor will you be able to leave the ship."

"Damn it, this is another fucking trap," Shepard spat. "Is there a way to shut the barriers down from inside?"

"The barriers are being powered by the ship's mass effect core. If you were able to destroy the core, the barriers would cease."

"And the ship wouldn't be able to maintain its gravity."

"You would have approximately fifteen minutes until the ship lost gravity."

"Yeah, why did I think this was going to be easy? Give us directions to the core."

EDI patched the coordinates to Shepard's hard suit and Shepard moved the team forward. The inside of the Reaper was dark, but evidence of the research team littered the walkways and rooms. The more reports Shepard downloaded, the more evident the Indoctrination seemed to be. Shepard was at least glad the ship would be destroyed when it fell into the brown dwarf after they destroyed the core. She just hoped they could get out in time.

As they began to move further into the ship, they could hear the sound of Husks. At times, the amount was overwhelming and it was clear this was all that remained of the research team. "Where are all the Geth? I haven't seen evidence of any of them? Did they do this to the research team?" Garrus wondered.

They heard the ping of a sniper rifle nearby as another group of Husks cried out. "What was that?One of the researchers still alive?" Miranda wondered as well.

"Whoever it is, they must be friendly if they are killing Husks." Shepard replied. "We need to keep moving, maybe we can meet up with them."

Shepard pressed them on until they reached a large open area filled with dragon's teeth. "What is this?" Samara wondered.

"It almost looks like some sort of altar," Miranda noted. "The Indoctrination must be more powerful than we understand."

"Shepard, you should see this," Mordin called.

It was another vid log from one of the crew. His message was grim and confirmed what happened to the rest of the crew. "The Geth didn't do that to them, this ship did. Even dead it still managed to turn them against each other." Shepard shut off the message as a chill ran down her spine.

"It's a good thing it will be obliterated once it falls into the planet's core," Jacob noted.

"EDI, any sign of the IFF?" Shepard radioed.

"I believe I have pinpointed its location. It is among the ship controls just before the drive core. You will need to pass the ship controls in order to destroy it."

"Well, at least it is on our way. Let's get this over with."

They left the grim shrine and made their way towards the ship controls. More Husks crawled up to meet them and they were nearly overwhelmed save for the hidden sniper. "Where is it? I don't see it?" Garrus looked around.

A single Geth stood from its vantage point, sniper rifle in hand. "Shepard Commander," it said before it turned and disappeared down the hall.

"Why is that Geth shooting the Husks? I though the Geth created them?" Grunt asked.

"We always suspected that the Reapers created the dragon's teeth. I am more concerned about it calling your name, Shepard. I didn't know Geth spoke." Miranda added.

"It had N7 armor too. I don't know what it is doing here, but I intend to find out."

They continued on towards the core, a trail of Husk corpses left by the Geth sniper. They found the ship controls and Garrus and Kasumi began working on getting the the IFF unhooked. Shepard and the rest of the team went into the core room. Inside, the geth stood in front of the control panel. It paid no attention to them, nor the husks that were slowly moving towards it. "Look out!" Shepard yelled as one of the Husk lunged for the Geth.

By the time they had cleared all the husks away, the Geth had shut itself down to avoid injury. The husks seemed drawn to the room and kept coming the waves. "Keep them busy, I am going to take down the core. Get ready to run every body." Shepard called.

"What about the Geth, Shepard? Cerberus has a cash bounty for an intact Geth." Miranda asked.

"I am more interested in finding out how it knew my name and what is was doing here. We will take it with us." Shepard answered. She pulled out her heavy weapon and began to charge it, incinerating any husks that got close to her.

"Is that safe Commander?" Jacob asked.

"We are about to blow up a mass effect core and make a mad dash before we are smashed up with this ship. Safe is the least of our problems. Hold on, everyone."

She fired the Cain straight at the core, sending a shockwave of energy that knocked them all off their feet. "That did it Commander." Joker radioed. "It is getting rough out here already. You better hurry."

"Let's move," Shepard called, putting away the Cain. "Grunt can carry the Geth back."

Grunt picked up the machine effortlessly and followed closely behind them. The ship had already begun to bow and they ran towards the breached hull as fast as they could. "Joker, do you have a fix on our position? Open the port side airlock, we are going out the fast way." Shepard radioed as she ran.

"I've got you. Hurry Commander, it is getting hard to keep her steady."

Shepard jumped first, floating over to the airlock foyer without effort. She waited for everyone else to jump across and shut the outer airlock door. "Alright Joker, let's go!" She pounded on the side of the wall. The airlock was cramped, but they all felt the Normandy's engine burst away from the falling Reaper. "I can't believe we actually did it," Shepard pulled off her helmet. She was out of breath and could barely speak.

"I'll get EDI working on the IFF right away." Miranda said. "We need to decide what to do with the Geth."

"I decide what happens to it. Put it in the AI core for now a station a guard on it. I don't know if it can wake itself up. Geth usually aren't found alone."

"Are you sure Commander?" Jacob asked.

The inner airlock doors opened after the decontamination light cleared everyone. "Did we get it?" Joker called from the bridge.

"Yep. This damn thing better work." Shepard walked up behind him.

"I just don't like having Reaper technology on the ship. What if it starts indoctrinating us?"

"I'll take a cue from Saren and shoot myself in the head.


	79. Dark Energy

Shepard changed out of her armor and didn't bother contacting the Illusive Man. She was sure he already knew they'd been successful and was plotting how to manipulate Shepard next. She hated having to rely on him and decided that once the Collectors were dealt with, she'd be going after him. He still had to pay for what Cerberus had done to the Alliance marines on Akuze , Admiral Kahoku, and the children on Pragia. Shepard didn't care how much he had been involved, she wasn't about to let more Cerberus experiments continue with or without his knowledge.

She sat down at her desk and began to think about the geth in the AI core. It had said her name and was wearing N7 armor on its shoulder. It had also saved them from the husk swarm. She decided she needed to try to speak with it. She needed to know what is was doing on the Reaper and why it helped her. She went down to the AI core where the body was being held. The guard inside saluted her with his free hand, his other hand held an assault rifle. "I am going to activate it. EDI can put up a kinetic barrier to contain it, the gun won't be necessary." Shepard told the guard.

"Operator Lawson insisted," the guard replied.

"Just stand back, I don't it to think we are threatening. EDI, can you raise a curtain?"

The barrier appeared and EDI responded. "I have placed additional firewalls around all my systems to prevent any hacking attempts."

"Alright, if there is any trouble, let me know and I will take it down."

Shepard opened her omni-tool and scanned for the geth's redundant systems. She found the start up operation and turned it on. The geth slowly came back to life with a soft hum, its head light flickering until it was steady. The geth sat up and looked at her. "Shepard Commander," it repeated.

"Do you know me?" Shepard asked.

"All Geth know you," it responded.

"Because I have killed a lot of you? What were you doing on that ship? Why did you help us?"

"Gathering data. Shepard Commander destroyed an Old Machine. Shepard Commander destroyed Heretics. The Geth oppose the Old Machines. The Geth oppose the Heretics."

"Heretics? Who are they? Who are the Old Machines? Do you mean the Reapers?"

"Reaper was the name given by the Protheans. The Geth call them Old Machines. The Heretics asked the Old Machines and Saren to give them a future."

"The Heretics were Geth that followed Saren? And Sovereign?"

"The Old Machine you call Sovereign is named Nazara. It contacted the Geth many years ago. Saren and the Heretics worshipped Nazara for promising the future they wanted. Technology, growth, unity."

"But you said you oppose them?"

"Nazara promised the Geth a future. The Geth create their own future. The Heretics represent only a small part of the Geth."

"So your people want to evolve without being manipulate by Reapers. I guess that seems reasonable. But what about your war with the Quarians?"

"The Creators war with the Geth, the Geth do not war with the Creators."

"So if the Quarians left you alone, you'd just leave organics in peace?'

"Yes."

Shepard thought for a moment. Was it possible for a machine to lie? They could make processing mistakes due to system errors, but a lie was something that require an emotional need to deceitful. She wondered what the Quarians would think about the geth in front of her. She dismissed the guard and sat down to speak with the geth for a while. She asked about their future and the heretics and the war against the Quarians. The geth admitted to being specially constructed to track down Shepard, because she had helped kill Nazara. It insisted that they were all geth but allowed itself to be called Legion at EDI's suggestion.

Shepard left Legion and called the crew together to let them know the situation. Most of the crew looked at Shepard like she was crazy, but she tried to reassure them. "The Geth just want the chance to live. These Heretics are the only Geth that have attacked unprovoked."

"What about the Quarians? I don't think they will be happy that you are leading an active geth around." Jacob asked.

"The Quarians need to meet Legion. He is proof that the Geth just want to be left alone."

"It is your call Shepard. Your friend Tali might be a useful next lead. With the IFF installed, we could use another engineer around the ship." Miranda suggested.

"We'll head towards the Migrant Fleet then. In the mean time, we need to get the rest of the ship prepared for the relay. The plating still needs to go on, so when we dock with the Migrant Fleet, we will be running eight hour shifts out on the hull. Garrus, have you managed to get the guns calibrated?"

Garrus nodded. "Everything should work as planned. I've managed 98.5 percent accuracy in targeting."

Shepard dismissed them, but the crew seemed to grumble about a bit and eventually dispersed. Garrus and Joker lingered around Shepard for a while longer. "I might not always agree with Jacob, but I think he is right about this one. We fought the Geth for nearly a year." Garrus reminded Shepard.

"We also spent nearly a year fighting a rouge Turian Spectre. Sovereign or Nazara or whatever you want to call it, it was manipulating both of them. Legion wants to help us defeat the Heretics and the Reapers. If we could get Geth forces on our side, we might just have a chance. And we might gain some perspective on the Reapers."

"I sure hope you are right," Joker added. "If it goes crazy and starts shooting everyone and screaming 'exterminate' I am going to say 'I told you so.'"

Everyone returned to their duties and Shepard went upstairs to look over files. She understood the crew's apprehension about Legion, but Shepard had always been of the opinion that the Quarians were at fault for the Geth problem. If they Geth wanted to live in peace beyond the Perseus Veil, that was their right. Shepard hoped Tali and the rest of her people could understand that. Shepard finished looking over files, ate dinner, and watched a vid before going to bed.

She had nightmares about the Reapers while she slept. She dreamt that the entire crew had become indoctrinated and were clawing at her door. She woke up screaming and couldn't get back to sleep. She wandered down to the crew deck and found Samara still awake. The Justicar didn't sleep much and had offered Shepard assistance in trying to control her biotics. They practiced until Shepard was tired and went to get something to eat in the mess together.

Shepard was called up to the comm room in the middle of their early breakfast. The captain of Tali's ship had contacted Shepard about her location. She wasn't with the Migrant Fleet as expected, but on an assignment deep in the heart of Geth territory. They had lost contact with her team a few days ago, but communication interruptions were common in the area. Shepard downloaded the planet information and went to speak with Legion. It was familiar with Haestrom and the problems the sun caused. Legion informed Shepard that the planet was also in Heretic controlled space. Shepard contemplated bring Legion along, to see how the Quarians would react and how Legion would react against its own kind.

She had hoped that the hardest part of recruiting Tali would be Legion and Cerberus, but it sounded like the sun would give them trouble as well. Joker set the ship's course towards the Dholen system and Shepard returned to her cabin for a nap. She awoke from another Reaper nightmare and asked Dr. Chakwas for something that would keep her from dreaming. The doctor wanted to look Shepard over, concerned that her cybernetic implants could have been affected on the Reaper ship. She didn't see anything awry and gave Shepard some meds so she would have a dreamless sleep.

Shepard woke up from a groggy night's sleep and went to speak with Legion again. It seemed eager to help Shepard destroy the Heretics, mentioning that a large Geth construct was in a nearby system. Legion had already finished scanning the files recovered from the Reaper and had found a virus that the Reapers were planning to spread to all Geth. The virus would essentially rewrite all the Geth to accept the Heretic's plans. Legion was hesitant for a moment, but asked Shepard if she would help destroy the station where the virus was contained. "We don't need more Geth against us," Shepard agreed.

She asked Legion to accompany her to the surface of Haestrom and brought Garrus along as another friendly face. As soon as the Normandy passed through the Dholen relay, the communication array went down. "The sun is already interfering with our equipment?" Shepard asked, walking down from her cabin when she couldn't raise Joker on the comm.

"The current solar output of the star is nearly three hundred percent more than normal," EDI reported.

"Are we in any danger? Or are the Quarians?" Shepard asked.

"The radiation from the sun will interfere with ship to suit radios and will render shields ineffective in direct view of the sun." EDI added.

"Alright, then we will need to keep the Kodiak in a secure location, so we can get back to it if there is trouble."

Shepard waited for the Normandy to get closer to Haestrom and then went down to the shuttle with Legion and Garrus. "What if the Quarians try to shoot Legion?" Garrus wondered.

"We will just have to make sure it doesn't happen. Legion will be able to hack some of the geth to fight for us, right?" Shepard asked.

"Temporarily." Legion replied.

The Kodiak landed in a secure area that showed signs of the Quarian recon team. Shepard told the pilot to keep in contact if the Geth got close to the shuttle. The sun was still blazing and even one ray of light caused Shepard's shields to go haywire. Luckily the heavy stone architecture of the old Quarian colony helped ease some of the interference as they headed towards the main plaza where they'd seen the Quarians.

The Geth were initially too preoccupied fighting the Quarians, but noticed Shepard's team as all three began picking off Geth with their sniper rifles. Their fortified position helped kept them out of the sun and made short work of the small Geth platoon. As Shepard moved forward, she found only bodies in her path. Most of the Quarians were already dead or unconscious and bleeding out. "There isn't much we can do for them." Garrus said grimly.

"No sign of Tali yet. Maybe she is still alive. Why the hell did the Quarians come this deep into Geth space?" Shepard wondered.

"Picking up Quarian suit communication." Legion added.

"Can you patch it into our suits?"

"Processing." Legion replied.

The radio crackled a little but Shepard could hear one of the Quarians. "This is Commander Shepard. Who is this? I am looking for Tali'Zorah."

"Commander Shepard? Yeah, I've heard Tali mention you. Kal'Reegar, Migrant Fleet Special Marines. What are you doing here?" The voice responded.

"I'm on an important mission and need Tali's help. Is she still alive?"

"As far as I know. We've managed to protect her so far. She is locked up in the observatory. What is your position?"

"We are just south of a large plaza. There are a lot of Quarian dead here."

"Yeah, that is what is left of my team," Kal'Reegar sighed. "The observatory is north of the plaza, but I am bunkered right in front of the doors. The Geth dropped a Colossus on us."

"We are coming to you." Shepard radioed back.

Shepard moved the team back across the plaza, ducking behind the pillars to avoid the sun. They found Reegar huddled against a crate, bleeding from a heat round. "You are injured, how bad is it?" Shepard ducked, catching a glimpse at the lumbering Colossus.

"Look out, Geth right behind you!" Reegar yelled and went for his pistol.

"No, it is with us. It's not a threat." Shepard moved to shield Legion.

"If you say so," Reegar groaned. "I am in no place to question decisions with this many antibiotics swimming through me. I will live Commander. But that means nothing if we don't get Tali'Zorah out safely. They are trying to get through the doors."

"We'll take care of the Colossus and get to Tali. Hang tight here."

Shepard quickly surveyed the ground in front of them, before the Colossus blasted the area. She spread Legion and Garrus out to provide distracting cover fire and deployed her tactical cloak. She moved quickly to the Colossus' right flank and began pegging it with heavy sniper rounds. The Colossus responded by balling itself up for repairs, but a few incineration grenades finished the job. Once near the doors, Shepard tried to radio Tali. "Shepard, what are you doing here?" Tali asked.

"I can explain later. I need to get you and Reegar out of here before more Geth show up."

"I'm opening the doors."

Shepard stepped inside as Garrus and Legion caught up with her. "Shepard, look out!" Tali yelled, as Legion walked behind her.

"It is okay, it is with me. It wants to help." Shepard raised her hands again. She kept forgetting that Legion was Geth.

"I don't understand Shepard. You show up now, working for Cerberus, with a Geth behind you," Tali lowered her gun hesitantly.

"We've got the Collectors on the run. We are going to hit their home world beyond the Omega relay. I wanted to see if you would join me. We could use another engineer on board."

"And the Geth?" Tali asked.

"Legion wants to stop the Reapers as much as I do. The Geth we fought against with Saren are the only Geth that support the Reapers."

"And what about my people?" Tali asked.

"Perhaps we might discuss this somewhere safer?" Garrus suggested. A drop ship could be heard far above them.

"Shepard, I need to get this data to the Migrant Fleet." Tali replied.

"I can get the data to them if you want to go," Reegar limped through the doors.

"Reegar, you are okay!" Tali embraced him slightly.

"Thanks to Shepard. But we shouldn't linger here. That drop ship is heading back this way."

Shepard was able to call the shuttle and get them out safely. They returned to the Normandy and helped Kal'Reegar up the med bay. Dr. Chakwas didn't have much experience treating Quarians, but was able to patch up his wound and start more antibiotics. Shepard set a course for the Geth construct and went to speak with Tali. She was skeptical of Legion, but agreed to join Shepard once they got the data safely to the Migrant Fleet. The data from Haestrom was troubling and Tali wanted to make sure it got into the right hands


	80. Heretics

Shepard spent most of her time during the flight to the Geth station with Tali. They sat in engineering and caught up on the last two years. The information gathered from Feros allowed Tali passage on one of the better ships in the fleet after her Pilgrimage. Tali was troubled by Shepard's willingness to work with the Geth, but Shepard tried to persuade her to be open minded about Legion. Tali still didn't trust Legion or any of the Geth, but she was interested to see what data the Heretic station held.

Their arrival at the station was fairly uneventful. There were no patrols around the station and most of the Geth were preoccupied clearing excess data according to Legion's calculations. They were able to dock to the station without any disturbances. "Where do we need to go to destroy this place?" Shepard asked.

Legion computed for a moment before speaking. "Shepard Commander, there is another option other than destroying this base. The virus could be adapted to allow all Geth the reach the same conclusion. A conclusion against the Old Machines."

"What do you think we should do? Are you having regrets about destroying your own people?" Shepard asked.

"Geth do not have regrets. Destroying the Heretics is a logical decision. Rewriting the Heretics is also a logical decision."

"One isn't more, uh logical than the other?"

"We will need more time to compute. In order to destroy this base, we must have access to the station core."

"We will head there then. You can, uh, compute on the way."

Shepard pressed them on, anxious to get the Geth station destroyed. She wasn't sure rewriting them was the thing to do. There was little resistance in the station other than the Geth they destroyed when they happened to destroy a node. By the time they reached the core, Legion's systems had come a consensus. A majority of two processes favored rewriting the Geth over destroying them.

"Couldn't the Reapers just reprogram them back eventually?" Garrus asked.

"That is a logical conclusion." Legion responded.

"I don't know if we should risk letting that happen," Shepard added.

"We will destroy the Heretics if Shepard Commander wishes," Legion said. "We will first need to remove the virus before initiating a self destruct. All Geth on this platform will be aware of our presence at that time."

"How long will that take?"

"Unknown."

"Well, let's bunker down and get ready then. I imagine they will try to stop us."

Shepard spread out her team so that Legion was covered at all times. She wanted to get the virus deleted and get off the station. It was too quiet and eerie for her tastes. It didn't take long for the Geth to find them. The turrets providing defense for the servers were easily hacked to help with the stragglers, but the Geth still vastly outnumbered them. "How much longer?" Shepard yelled, as her heat clips began to run low.

"Ninety-nine percent deletion. Once deleted, we will initiate the destruct sequence. We will have five minutes to leave the station."

"Why is it always five minutes? Can't it be ten?" Shepard said under her breath. She wasn't looking forward to another mad dash back to the Normandy.

As soon as the destruct sequence was set, Shepard abandoned her post and rushed them forward. The Geth pursued them, but the winding hallways allowed the team to escape most of the hostile fire. The Normandy quickly undocked once everyone was safe in the airlock. "We really need to stop blowing things up," Shepard sighed, out of breath.

"We've still got the Collectors," Garrus laughed slightly.

"Thank you Shepard Commander." Legion added. "The Geth will make their own future now, without the Reapers."

"Yeah, just let me get a look at the data you recovered. I want to know all I can about the Reapers."

"We will upload to your terminal."

Shepard removed her armor and went down to check on Kal'Reegar. She hoped to get him back on his feet as they made their way towards the Migrant Fleet. Tali was visiting him when Shepard arrived. "I saw the explosion. All those Geth are really gone?" Tali asked.

"Yep, and Legion helped do it."

"Why does it call itself Legion? Geth are a collective." Reegar asked curiously.

"You will have to ask EDI about that."

"Asking an AI why it named a Geth," Tali shook her head.

"I know you've been raised hating the Geth, Tali, but they just want the chance to exist. You can't give life, only to take it away because you don't agree with how it has grown up."

Tali said nothing, but lowered her head. "There are some in the fleet that want peace Commander," Kal'Reegar added. "But there are others that still want to obliterate the Geth."

"Maybe Legion can show them peace is possible. Is Dr. Chakwas taking care of you alright?"

"I'm only in slight discomfort. There was no avoiding an infection, but these antibiotics will do the trick."

"We should reach the Migrant Fleet in a day or two."

"Thank you for all you've done Commander."

Tali nodded and thanked Shepard as well. She followed Shepard out when she left the med bay. "You may be right about the Geth, but my people are slow to change. We've been fighting the Geth for hundreds of years."

"I understand that, but the time to end all these wars is now. The Reapers are behind these colonial attacks and I can't imagine what they will do next. The last thing we need is to be fighting each other."

"I will do what a can. I have been working on the Normandy's shields, we will be able to take more fire than the last ship. I might be able to find some better modifications once we reach the Fleet as well."

"That is good to know."

Shepard hating being the devil's advocate between the Quarians and the Geth, but the only thing that would stop the Reapers would be a united galaxy. She returned to her cabin and took Lt. Fuzzypants out of his cage and let him run around on the bed for a while. Garrus came up to visit and seemed to enjoy the hamster's company more than Shepard's at times. Everything on the ship was calm until they reached the Migrant Fleet


	81. Politics

As soon as the Normandy neared the Fleet, it was tagged as hostile vessel. Cerberus was not a welcome name with the Quarians and Tali being aboard didn't seem to help. "What the hell is the problem?" Shepard asked, as two smaller ships came to escort the Normandy to the Rayya.

"Tali'Zorah has been accused of treason and Cerberus vessels are not welcome here." The docking officer announced.

"Treason? There must be a mistake!" Tali protested.

"Who is accusing her?" Reegar asked.

"She is to be escorted from your ship to face the Admiralty Board."

"Shepard, this isn't right. I don't understand what is going on?" Tali asked.

"We'll figure it out," Shepard sighed. She couldn't seem to catch a break anywhere. The IFF was ready for shakedown and Shepard was eager to test it. Before she left the bridge to head to the airlock, she told Joker to take the ship out while they were on the Rayya. "Since they dont want a Cerberus ship here, take her out and give the IFF a run. I think we are going to be here a while."

"I can't wait to see if this actually works." Joker replied.

"The IFF or saving Tali from exile or death?" Shepard tried to make light out of the situation.

"Both, I guess."

Shepard left the Normandy in the hands of Joker and joined the rest of the team in the airlock. They were all eager to go aboard to support Tali. Shepard lead them onto the Rayya with Legion at her side. Tali was adamantly opposed to the idea, but Shepard insisted. The Quarians needed to see Legion. As soon as the airlock opened, the marines had their guns drawn. "The Geth is with me and it isn't a danger to anyone on this ship." Shepard barked at them.

"See, she is already guilty," one of the guards said.

"What is Tali being charged with? Treason can mean a lot of things." Kal'Reegar asked.

"She is accused of smuggling active Geth into the fleet. The evidence is right in front of you."

"I never sent active Geth here, only parts to help my father's research."

"Enough! The trial will not happen here at the airlock," a woman came up behind the marines.

"Auntie Raan!" Tali exclaimed. She hugged the woman warmly.

"And you must be Commander Shepard, I have heard a lot about you." Admiral Raan held her hand out to Shepard and looked at Legion suspiciously. "You keep strange company Commander."

"Legion volunteered to help me on a very important mission. You might gain a lot of insight speaking with it."

"The Geth has a name. Very strange company indeed. Come, the trial will not be for another few hours."

"So soon?" Tali seemed disheartened.

"As her captain, you will provide her defense." Admiral Raan informed Shepard.

Even only seeing her body language, Shepard could see Tali had little faith in her advocate skills. "Don't worry," Shepard tried to sound reassuring. "I got passing grades in my maritime law classes."

Shepard failed to mention that she'd taken the classes nearly ten years ago and only got passing grades by bedding the instructor's teaching assistant. At that age, the only law Shepard admired were her pistol rights. The trial was difficult, not because of Shepard's law knowledge, but the bombshell the Admiralty Board dropped on Tali. She had been accused of smuggling active Geth because her father's research vessel had suddenly lost contact after an apparent attack. "You couldn't have told us this before?" Shepard asked angrily. "She is here on trial and her father could be dead!"

"Could be dead because of her actions," one of the other Admirals replied. He had an angry voice and seemed to look down on both women.

"Hasn't anyone gone to find out?" Shepard narrowed her eyes at the Quarian,

"The ship is swarming with Geth. There aren't many who would volunteer."

"Then I will do it. I am not scared of a few Geth."

"Because you keep one for a pet," he mocked.

"Admiral Gerrel, if Shepard can find out what really happened on the Alarei, it may confirm Tali's guilt or innocence." Admiral Raan chastised his tone.

"It is settled then," Shepard walked from the podium, essentially putting the trial on hold. The Admirals didn't seem very eager to dispprove Tali's guilt.

"Shepard, I'm, I didn't mean to drag you into this." Tali followed closely behind.

"It's okay. We will take care of it and get back to the Normandy. If they want to strip you of your ship name, you are more than welcome to take the Normandy's."

"Tali, I'm sorry, I tried to contact you," Veetor emerged from the small crowd.

"It is alright Veetor," Tali replied and patted him on the shoulder.

"This isn't about Tali sending Geth parts back to the fleet, I know it." Veetor added. "They just wanted to bring you back here to strengthen the fleet. Admiral Gerrel wants to go to war, but Admiral Koris is fighting against him."

"Fucking Quarian politics," Shepard said under her breath. "We need to find a shuttle to take us to the Alarei, the Normandy is doing a shakedown run."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Reegar spoke up. "We've got thousands."

He showed them to a small shuttle bay and arranged for one of the marines to take them to the research vessel Tali's father was last seen on. It was only big enough for part of the crew, so the rest stayed behind to barter for supplies. Shepard frowned and hoped Joker was having an easier time testing the IFF. She was hoping to make only one last stop on Omega before going through the relay.


	82. So Far Away

The Alarei proved to be more than overrun by Geth. The machines had taken over the ship and killed everyone onboard. Tali seemed confused, she had only sent her father parts and these were whole active Geth. As they looked through the research logs, it became clear that the fate of the Alarei was the sole cause of Tali's father, Rael. He'd be reassembling and activating Geth in order to perform weapons testing on them. They found Rael's body in the labs, with one last message for Tali recorded on his omni-tool. Shepard let Tali watch it alone and led the others out to destroy the main hub that was controlling the Geth.

Tali rejoined them with a defeated posture and shook her head. "What my father left would clear me of treason, but it would brand him as a traitor. He would be erased from all ship records and essentially never exist. I can't show this to the Admiralty Board, Shepard."

"What choice do we have Tali? Your father rebuilt all these Geth."

"I, we can't tell them what happened here. We have to erase all the logs."

"Then you will probably be exiled, can you live with that?" Shepard put a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her.

"I don't want my father's name dishonored. If I have to leave the fleet, so be it." She lowered her head again.

"Alright, we will clear out all the Geth and erase all the incriminating data records. It should only take an hour or two."

The crew scoured the rest of the ship for any more intact Geth or research terminals. With what they left on the terminals, it appeared that the Geth simply reactivated themselves somehow. They returned to the Rayya in the shuttle and found the Admirals already debating the crew's fate. "We've only been gone a few hours and you already thought we were dead. That is a little insulting," Shepard crossed her arms.

"We assumed you would contact us immediately after finding any evidence that cleared Tali'Zorah," Admiral Gerrel replied, venom still in his tone.

"Well, all the Geth are dead, you can look at the evidence yourself. The Geth overran the ship too quickly for any reports to be made. There is no indication how they reactivated themselves, but there are several logs that detail the inventory Tali sent them. They were all inactive parts that never could have caused such a problem."

"And we are just supposed to believe that?" Gerrel complained.

"I don't really give a shit what you believe. I know this trial is a farce. You all have your own agendas and have put Tali in the middle. She spent nearly a year helping me track Saren and his rogue Geth. She risked life and limb to save Veetor on Freedom's Progress and gather data on Haestrom. And this is the thanks you give her. Accusing her of treason? If you want to exile her, that is your business, I will welcome her onto my ship and you will lose one hell of an engineer."

"Commander, we do not need to be hasty. If what you say is true, then there is no evidence to support the treason claim. Tali can be transferred to your ship and will be welcomed back to the fleet when she chooses to leave your service." Admiral Koris tried to calm the crowd and crew that shouted support for Tali.

Shepard nodded her approval with a dismissive air and let the Admiralty Board close the proceedings. "Thank you Shepard," Tali whispered when it was all through.

Shepard returned to the airlock with the rest of the crew, but the Normandy had not returned from its shakedown run. "Where the hell is Joker? It doesn't take five hours to test something," Shepard wondered. She asked if any of the crew that had stayed on the Rayya had heard anything.

"Nothing, Commander," Jacob replied. "He was jumping to the next system just to be safe. but I haven't heard anything since then."

"That'd be just like Joker to go joy riding when we are ready to leave," Shepard rolled her eyes.

She returned to the atrium and bided her time speaking with some of the admirals. They all had questions about Legion that Shepard was eager to answer. She urged them towards brokering peace and warned them about the Reapers. Most were receptive to the idea, but they warned that there would always be opposition from men like Gerrel. Their conversations were put on hold when Miranda came storming into the atrium. "Something's happened with the Normandy. I could barely understand Joker, but the entire crew is gone."

"Gone, what, what the hell happened?" Shepard wondered.

"I don't know, the ship is docking now. We should get back right away."

Shepard hurried back to the airlock and ran to the bridge. "Joker, what the hell happened?" Shepard asked.

"Everything was going fine until we activated the IFF. EDI was scanning through the data and found a code that was transmitting the ship's signal. There must have been some sort of virus, it took control of the ship. The Collectors were right on top of us and got onboard. I had to unshackle EDI, but she was able to get control of the ship back."

"You unshackled the AI? Are you insane?" Miranda yelled at him.

"What was I supposed to do? They were onboard and I can't even fire a pistol without breaking a bone! EDI saved the ship."

"There had to be another way!" Jacob replied. The entire squad seemed to yell their opinions at once.

"Shut up!" Shepard yelled to quiet them all. "We have more pressing concerns. The Collectors have made this even more personal. They kidnapped our crew and nearly took the ship with them. We are going after them right now. Is the IFF clean? Can we get through the relay?"

"I am detecting no more viruses. We should be able to safely navigate through the relay. The crew are my friends, I only wanted to save them." EDI apologized.

"It is okay. We are going to get them back. We'll install the rest of the ship plating on Omega and go through the relay as soon as it is done."

Shepard dismissed them, but everyone seemed to stay together. The ship was eerily quiet and sent a chill down Shepard's spine. She went down to the mess and saw the remains of lunch on the table. What appetite she'd had riding down the elevator, was quickly lost. She saw blood where some of the crew had put up a fight before being subdued. This made her angry instead of sick. She went back up to her cabin and found Samara waiting for her.

"Is everything alright?" Shepard sat down with a sigh.

"The lost of the crew is devastating, but I think it is fate that we should go through the Omega relay now."

"How so?"

"The criminal I was tracking on Illium. I have discovered that she is now on Omega. I will have a chance to stop her before we go through the relay."

"She must be pretty dangerous if you've tracked her so far."

"She is more dangerous than you can imagine. And she is also my daughter."

"I, I don't know what to say." Shepard paused.

"There is little to say. I gave birth to three Ardat-Yakshi. Two of my daughters entered a monastery. The other has killed hundreds."

"Ardat-Yakshi? I have never heard of such a thing."

"It is a rare genetic disorder. When an Ardat-Yakshi melds with a person, it is not gentle like a normal Asari. They overpower the nervous system of their mate and kill them. It becomes addicting. Eventually you become as my daughter is, a ruthless killer."

"And you are sure she is on Omega?"

"That is the last arrival for the Demeter. I can only imagine that she ensorceled the crew. Omega seems a likely place for Morinth to hunt."

"If you need any help finding her," Shepard nodded.

"There is no one I trust more," Samara smiled slightly. "If you would not mind, I would like to meditate in front of your fish tank. I find it very soothing. I need to prepare myself to face her."

"No, go right ahead."

Shepard wished she could sit with a clear head, but her mind was racing. She was wracked with fear and excitement. She wanted to unleash hell on the Collectors, but she still had her doubts about surviving. She sat down at her desk and began to pick through the things Kaidan had boxed up. She picked up the photo on top and looked at it for a while. She wanted to be in that place again, enemy defeated and Kaidan at her side. She knew they had grown so far away from those moments. She put the photo on her desk and found places for the other medals and trinkets Kaidan had thought to save.

At the bottom of the box, she found a crumpled slip of data paper that had fallen in somehow. She carefully unfolded it and recognized Kaidan's large, masculine handwriting. It was a letter to her, that she didn't understand at first. As she read it over, she realized that he'd written it sometime after her death, as a way to cope with his loss. It made her sick with grief to read it, but her eyes refused to leave. Each word pained her heart and made her love him even more. She knew she had to survive and make things right with him again. She was determined to spend every waking breath trying to get back to him


	83. Hitting on the Other Team

The Normandy docked on Omega after returning to the Sahrabarik system. Shepard managed to find some day laborers to help weld the plating on, since they had no crew to finish the work. The presence of a justicar wouldn't go unnoticed on Omega, so Samara asked Shepard if she could help with the leg work. Shepard left Garrus in charge and went to seek out any clues to Morinth's location.

She gained a lead from Aria, who seemed slightly amused that an Ardat-Yakshi was stalking Omega. "You don't seem overly concerned," Shepard asked.

"She hasn't tried to seduce me, nor would she ever. Asari bore me. I've grown a taste for human men. They are eager to satisfy. You should find one for yourself." Aria smirked.

"I have one, we just have obligations we can't get out of."

"I hope for your sake that is true. I'd love to meet the man who could put up with you, no offense meant."

"Thanks for the help," Shepard smirked back at her.

She left Aria and went to speak with some of the victim's families. Samara finally joined Shepard, disguised in a long coat and hood. She didn't want to risk any chance of Morinth seeing her. Most of the victims stories were the same, lonely souls who were often isolated for their artistic or intellectual gifts. The only other link besides their deaths were VIP passes from Afterlife. Each victim had at least one in their possessions. Samara surmised that Morinth had chosen it as her hunting ground. "Do you think she would keep going back there?" Shepard wondered.

"As cold and calculating as Morinth is, she still appreciates familiarity. She will always have a place to watch people, probably some dark corner. Then she will spring her trap. She would be attracted to you Shepard, your strength. If you could lure her out, convince her to go somewhere private with you, I could follow closely and confront her."

"You want to use me as bait?"

"I would always be right behind you. I cannot confront her public or more blood will be spilled. You would not be in much danger. You are much stronger willed than she is."

"How do you know she would agree to go somewhere with me?"

"You have an air about you. You have delicate features, but your scars prove you have been tested and survived. You may only spark a glance at first, but if you are able to exude the confidence I see when you are in battle, she will not be able to help herself. She will crave that strong will."

Shepard didn't like the idea, but she could see the grief in Samara's eyes. She'd made it her life's work to stop her daughter and this could be the last chance she would get. Shepard finally agreed and returned to the Normandy to check on the ship. The plating was nearly finished and the squad seemed eager to leave Omega. Shepard changed into the dress Kasumi had stolen and managed to talk Garrus into coming with for added support. "So what is the plan, Shepard?" Garrus asked as he joined Samara and Shepard at the airlock.

"You will go in before me and have a few drinks. Let me know the locations of any Asari in the club. I will come in later and take a seat at the bar by myself. Come over and try to hit on me, we will go from there."

"Hit on you?" Garrus laughed.

"People tend to want what other people are interested in. If Morinth is watching, she might be more eager to approach if she knows she is competing with someone else."

"Well, I am glad I dressed up," he tried not to smile and adjusted his shirt.

Garrus went ahead and used the password to get into the VIP section. Samara and Shepard waited at a cafe a few blocks down. "Alright, I am inside," Garrus radioed quietly. "There are a few Asari in here. Can I get a drink?" Garrus ordered loudly.

Shepard waited a little longer, amused at what she could overhear from Garrus' radio. He'd begun chatting with the bartender and the subject quickly turned to females. They didn't discuss human women for long, quickly moving on to Asari and Quarians. "You know I've only seen Quarians in Fornax and they still only like to show them masked. Some sort of fetish about not seeing their faces. Their bodies are nice, but who knows what's under those masks," the bartender said.

"I knew a sweet Quarian a while back, shy but she sounded cute. I ran into her a little while ago, thinking maybe I should take a shot." Garrus replied.

Shepard grinned and wondered if Tali's new found confidence would work in favor of Garrus' affections. She headed to the club and dropped the right name at the door. She couldn't help but feel slightly self conscious as she stepped into the club. The VIP area was full of scantily clad Asari and women with men all around them. They all looked flawless and Shepard couldn't help but notice the bright dance floor lights bouncing off her scars. She bit her lip and held her head up and strode towards the bar like she was on a recon mission.

She spied Garrus a few stools down but didn't look over at him. She ordered a drink that looked alcoholic, but was only a mixture of fruit juices and carbonated water. She sipped on the drink and let her eyes scan the crowd. It was no different than being on the battlefield. She thought she saw an Asari in one of the back booths, but kept her eyes moving. Garrus finally sullied up next to her and sat down. "Hey, um, baby how about a dance?" he tried his best sultry tone.

Shepard tried not to laugh, but she couldn't hide the smile that crept onto her face. "That was terrible, Garrus, no wonder Tali is oblivous!"

"What, oh, I forgot you were listening."

"What did you see?" she nodded and pulled him towards the dance floor.

"Three Asari dancers, who I would guess aren't your target. One who went to the restroom with another woman, but I think they were just doing red sand. One in the booth furthest from the back, unlit, but in direct view of the dance floor."

"That's where I'd be," Shepard replied, dancing closely to Garrus.

"Me too. Do you think she is watching?"

"I hope so," Shepard replied, hearing the song beginning to end. "It would make me feel less bad about doing this."

She pushed Garrus away and shook her head, acting like she wasn't interested in him anymore. She smirked at him with a dismissive expression and went towards the bathroom with a haughty laugh. "Sorry, that probably made you look like a loser," Shepard apologized as she walked into one of the stalls.

"It's okay, I think it worked. The Asari in the booth is heading towards the bathroom too."

"Is she coming in?" Shepard asked quietly.

"She's not there yet. No, it looks like she is lingering near the door. She could be waiting until you come out."

"Keep an eye on her. I will be out in a minute."

Shepard left the stall and looked in the mirror. Her body had finally started to fill out again and she was starting to get her womanly curves back. She ran her hand across the scar on her shoulder and remembered how Kaidan had touched her. She was starting to get that feeling of desire back. It had overwhelmed her in her youth, only her recent depression had dampened it. She knew she had to use her desires to her advantage. She strode confidently out of the bathroom with a seductive grin. She caught eyes with the Asari as she walked out and raised an eyebrow before she walked away.

She walked over to the other bar and ordered a shot of Batarian whiskey. "She is following you Shepard," Garrus radioed.

"That's a nice dress," the Asari said quietly, sliding up to the bar next to her. Shepard took the shot in one gulp and licked her lips.

"Thanks, it was a gift. I think he paid more for it than he made in a year," Shepard said in a slightly mocking tone.

"I never understood why men think they can buy us off."

"They are stupid," Shepard replied and turned towards the Asari. "They should be grateful we even give them the time of day."

"You're confident. That is hard to find in a lot of human women. They are usually so insecure, it's so pitiful sometimes."

"They are just insecure because they don't know what they want. I know what I want."

"What do you want? You certainly didn't seem too interested in that Turian."

"He said he wanted to calibrate my engines. He couldn't find a manifold if it hit in him the face," Shepard grinned as she heard Garrus reply in the radio. "I hate people that try so hard. They are always terrible in bed."

"I've got a booth in the back, we wouldn't get hassled there."

"Let's go," Shepard looked the Asari up and down. She was well dressed in all black, but didn't look anymore dangerous than any other Asari. Shepard hoped she hadn't got it wrong. "I normally have a no name's policy, but something tells me I want to know your name," Shepard asked as she slid into the booth next to the Asari.

"Morinth. And you are?"

"Allison, Allison Gunn." Shepard replied with a smile. She was happy her instincts were right.

"Why does that name sound fake to me?" Morinth asked.

"Well, Allison was my birth name. Some of the guys in my mercenary band added the Gunn. More proof that men aren't clever."

"You are a mercenary? You don't seem to fit the part, expect maybe these," she ran a hand across Shepard's shoulder softly.

"I've got more," Shepard bit her lip seductively.

"Maybe you can show me later." Morinth moved closer to her and smiled.

"You're not scared I might tie you up and sell you to a slaver ring?"

"I like a little danger and you could never tie me up."

"That sounds like a challenge to me." Shepard grinned. She had gotten so used to manipulating men this way in her youth, it still seemed natural now.

"Maybe we should go back to my place then?"

"That eager to get me alone? You work faster than most men," Shepard grinned. She slid out of the booth and motioned with her head. "Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into."


	84. OMeGa

Shepard walked hand in hand with Morinth as she led her back to the apartment blocks. Shepard was nervous, but Samara assured Shepard she was right behind her. Morinth took her to one of the nicer apartment blocks and told her to make herself comfortable. Shepard looked around, hoping Samara would show up soon. She didn't want to get any closer to Morinth. She stopped in front of a painting and pretended to be interested in it. "Why don't you come sit down? You're not suddenly shy, are you?" Morinth asked.

"You don't seem like the art type to me," Shepard said, walking towards the couch. She was starting to wonder where Samara was and hesitated to sit down.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Morinth smiled and patted the couch.

"I know more than you think." Shepard sat down but kept her distance.

"You are so self assured. I am really going to enjoy this."

"Not as much as you think you are," Shepard stood up, hearing Samara enter the apartment.

"Morinth," Samara shouted at her, a wave of biotic energy flowing from her hands. It flipped Morinth over the couch and onto the floor. "Get to cover Shepard. I do not want you to be injured in this fight."

"You are getting old mother. I barely felt that," Morinth stood and hurled a ball of warp energy at Samara.

Shepard hid behind the couch, knowing her weak biotics were no match for either of the two women. She tried to keep her head down, but the fighting got pretty rough and Shepard had to move when the two women tumbled over the couch. The two Asari fought until they were exhausted, but Samara proved to be the stronger of the two. She finally slowed Morinth and quickly ended her life by snapping her neck. The apartment fell into a deathly quiet in an instant. Shepard stood up and found Samara looking down at her daughter's body. "Thank you for helping me," Samara finally said and turned away from Morinth's body.

"I am sorry," Shepard replied.

"I knew this day would come, unless my life ended before that. I will be forever grateful to you. Let us not dwell on this moment any longer. We have a crew to save."

Shepard said nothing and followed Samara out. Garrus was waiting not far from the apartments. He'd managed to grab a snack while he was waiting. "Did everything go as planned?" he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Samara only nodded in response and walked ahead of them.

"Sorry about what I said Garrus, I didn't mean anything by it. I am sure you are good at, uh, calibrating and finding manifolds."

"No offense taken," Garrus laughed. "You won't say anything to Tali will you? That was just guy talk, you know?"

"Garrus, I know you have a crush on Tali. Why don't you go for it?"

"I don't know. It didn't seem right when we were tracking Saren. And now we have the Collectors to deal with. Maybe if we survive this, I will work up the courage."

"Well, if you need better pick up lines, let me know."

They returned to the Normandy and found the ship armor fully installed. Shepard paid the workers and sent out for a few last supplies. If she was going to be stranded on the other side of the relay, she was going to die comfortable. When everything arrived, she gathered the team together for a conference. "We could do a lot more planning, but we won't ever know what is on the other side of that relay until we go through it. The Collectors have our crew. We aren't going to give them the chance to experiment on and kill our friends. It is a two hour flight to the relay. Say your prayers, fuck your brains out, whatever you need to do. We might not be coming back."

Everyone nodded in approval or shared inspiration words and went back to their business. Shepard didn't care what they did in the next two hours, as long as they were ready when the hit the relay. She returned to her cabin and sat at her desk for a while. She'd been waiting months for this moment and was now terrified. Most of the crew had sowed their past, but Shepard still regretted how things had ended with Kaidan. If she made it back, she knew there was still a chance. She just wished she could tell him she loved him one last time.

She pulled his sweater over her uniform and curled up on the couch to write him a final message. She placed a five day timer on the message, in the event they didn't make it through the relay safely. If she didn't delete the message in five days, it would automatically be sent. At first she was at a loss for what to say, but soon the words flowed out. She wanted him to know everything she felt.

_"Kaidan, if you are reading this, I didn't make it through the Omega-4 _

_ relay. I didn't want to leave without talking to you, but if I had to look _

_ in your eyes one more time, I would never have left. I love you more _

_ than anything in my life. I didn't have the best time growing up and kept_

_ searching for stability. I looked in a lot of the wrong places, but as soon as I _

_ met you, I knew there was something special. You are the only man I have_

_ trusted with my heart. I will always love you, living or dead. You will be the _

_ last thought, the last thing I see when I close my eyes. I never took to religion_

_ or spirituality, but if there is something else beyond this world, I will wait _

_ patiently to hold you again._

_ Love Shepard."_

She managed to take a short nap on the couch and was awoken by Joker on the comm. "Commander, we are about five minutes away from the relay."

"I will be right down," Shepard replied, rubbing her eyes.

She carefully folded Kaidan's sweater and headed down to the bridge. A few of the squad was already waiting behind Joker. "Everything is still okay with the IFF, we are ready to go?" Shepard asked.

"The IFF is clean, hitting the relay in two minutes." Joker replied.

"Whatever happens, Shepard, you've pulled on hell of a team together," Miranda commented.

"It's been an honor Shepard," Garrus patted her on the shoulder.

"We're not done yet," Shepard tried to sound hopeful, even though her heart was racing. Her stomach twisted in knots and her legs were starting to tremble.

"Here we go," Joker said, as the mass effect field began to pull on the Normandy.

"Commander, the drive core just lit up, everything looks stable, but I'll be here keeping an eye on it," Jacob radioed.

Kasumi and Garrus stood beside Shepard and they all joined hands, both to steady themselves and for moral support. Shepard couldn't tell who was squeezing her hands tighter, Kasumi or Garrus or how hard she was squeezing back. The Normandy surged forward into the mass effect envelope and began to shiver. Shepard held her breath and closed her eyes


	85. Infiltration

Everything that happened after going through the relay seemed to blur together. The Normandy had jumped directly into the debris field of a thousand ships that had tried going through the relay and failed. As if navigating through the debris wasn't difficult enough, the Collectors had left sentry drones to keep watch over the graveyard of ships. Even with the newly installed ship armor, the oculus' still managed to rip through the Normandy's hull with relative ease. Shepard had to rush down to the cargo bay to fight it off and had a nasty gash on her forehead to thank for it.

After their sentries failed, the Collector ship that had been stalking them decided to join the fight. Garrus tried to patch Shepard's head wound the best he could, while Joker outmaneuvered the Collector ship. The Normandy's new guns ripped through the Collector cruiser, but the massive explosion from the ship's drive core took the Normandy's controls offline and sent them into a tailspin. They finally came to rest on the Collector base after a hard landing. Nearly everyone in the squad was shaken up, but there were no serious injuries. "Status report," Shepard radioed from the med bay.

"Most of the systems are offline, but we are still in one piece." Joker radioed back.

"Are you alright Shepard, you are bleeding again?" Garrus asked. He had managed to get a medi-gel patch on her head, but she had a small trickle of blood seeping out.

"I should be fine," Shepard waved him off, despite her head pounding. The wound was deep enough that it probably needed to be sutured, but they didn't have the time. "I want everyone to report to the comm room."

The squad looked surprising optimistic despite the ride they'd just been through. The comm room hadn't suffered much damage besides a few overturned chairs. Shepard leaned against the back wall and tried to ignore the pounding headache she'd developed. "What are we looking at EDI? Do the Collectors know we are here?" Shepard asked.

"I am detecting no security or alarms on the outer portion of the base. The Collectors may have assumed no ship would ever reach it."

"Good, but I don't imagine they will stay in the dark forever. How do we get into the base and how do we destroy it?" EDI brought up a schematic of the base.

"Based on my scans, the likely point of weakness is the station's main control center in the heart of the base. You could overload their critical systems and destroy the base. That is also the most logical place the missing crew and any remaining colonist would be held."

"Look here, two main routes to get to the center. If we spilt up, we might be able to confuse the Collectors. They'll have to deal with both teams," Zaeed pointed out.

"What about these doors, they are blocking both ways. No way we can get them open without someone on the other side. I doubt the Collectors will welcome us in," Miranda added.

"There are always ways around the doors. Look at this ventilation shaft, it would get someone inside," Kasumi scanned the map. "I'd be able to take down any security inside as well."

"Alright, Kasumi will take care of opening the doors. I will lead one team in, Garrus will lead the other. We will meet up here," Shepard pointed to the map. "EDI, get the systems back online as soon as possible. If we manage to make it through the base, I don't want to blow up with it."

"I can't believe we are actually doing this," Jack shook her head. "Dying here beats cryo though."

"I don't know our chances, but if we do this right, we can all make it out alive. Everyone on this ship is here because I know I can count on them. Whatever happens, this base must be destroyed."

"I'll be stomping Collectors with my last breath!" Grunt cheered.

"Gear up and prepare to move out!" Shepard ordered.

The entire team headed down to the armory to dress and stock up on heat clips. The adrenaline surging through Shepard's veins made the pain in her head disappear, even when pulling on her helmet. She saw Kasumi and the second team off and moved her squad towards their infiltration point.

The inside of the Collector base looked a lot like the cruiser, though it was much grander in scale. Kasumi checked in and began to make her way towards the meeting point. The Collectors inside the base took quick notice of both infiltration teams, but splitting up helped thin their numbers. The Harbinger figure appeared again, possessing drones as often as it could. He always concentrated his attacks on Shepard, so she returned the favor with her sniper rifle. They finally made it to the doors, just as a large group of Collectors managed to flank them. "Get these damn doors shut!" Shepard yelled, ejecting the last of the heat clips she had on hand.

The Collectors were firing hard on their position and the open doors offered little protection. Kasumi overrode the door controls, but the doors jammed halfway. "Here, let me," Jacob yelled and set down his rifle. He knelt beside Kasumi and helped push the doors shut. With his last push, he lurched forward in front of the closing doors and was hit by the Collector's fire.

"Jacob!" Kasumi yelled and pulled him away from the doors. The other fire team rejoined them and shut the doors.

"Jacob's been hit!" Shepard turned and knelt next to Kasumi.

"He's already gone," Kasumi said gravely, looking down at his scarred helmet. He'd taken the full force of Collector fire. Kasumi set his head down gently and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Jacob!" Miranda yelled and knelt next to the other women.

"Damn it! Why didn't these god damn doors shut?" Shepard yelled and punched her fist into the ground. She bowed her head and gritted her teeth. She bit her lip hard and tried to harden her heart. It was the only trick she could use to help her deal with the loss of someone under her command. She would always mourn later and knew she needed to put on a strong face for the rest of the squad.

"The Collectors are already trying to get through the doors, we can't stay here much longer," Zaeed yelled.

"Commander, we've got something over here!" Garrus yelled.

Shepard climbed to her feet and left Miranda and Kasumi to attend to Jacob's body. "What is it Garrus?" Shepard walked into the small room next to them.

"The crew and some of the colonists," Garrus said.

Shepard was gladdened to see the crew, despite the loss of one of her team members. She looked into one of the pods and saw an unfamiliar face. "This must be some of the colonists from Horizon," Shepard pointed. She could see a colonial seal on the woman's jacket. The woman suddenly opened her eyes and screamed at Shepard. Shepard jumped back and watched in horror as the woman's body was slowly melted by tiny machines. "Get them out of there!" Shepard ran towards another pod and began banging the butt of her gun on the outer shell.

She broke through and opened the door, pulling Yeoman Chambers' limp body out. "There are more over here!" Grunt yelled, ripping off the door to the pod that held Dr. Chakwas. Shepard set Kelly down on the floor and helped open the pods before the other crew members were killed. The crew awakened quickly, but remained dazed for a while.

"Karin!" Shepard helped Dr. Chakwas up and hugged her.

"Shepard, you came for us?" Dr. Chakwas asked, her voice still weak and groggy.

"Who else am I going to get to patch me up!" Shepard smiled happily

"Is everyone here?" Dr. Chakwas looked around. "I watched them liquifying the colonists one by one. I knew the crew would be next."

"What are they doing to them?" Shepard asked as she helped some of the other crew to their feet.

"I don't know. The liquid is being pumped into those tubes. It was so horrible to watch."

"We need to get you back to the Normandy somehow."

"The Collectors are concentrating their efforts on this door, the path my team took should be clear," Garrus replied. "If you sent someone back with them, they should be able to make it."

"Mordin, escort the crew back to the Normandy and help get the systems back online. Someone can carry Jacob's body." Shepard added.

"Jacob?" Dr. Chakwas asked.

Shepard shook her head and looked over at the Jacob's body. "We'll get him back," Dr. Chakwas nodded and lowered her head. "He died saving us all."

"We've got a problem," Miranda interrupted. "The path towards the central chamber is open and full of seeker swarms. There is no way we will all make it, even with the counter measure."

"There was to be a way. We haven't come this far to stop." Shepard replied.

"I believe I could create a biotic barrier that would protect a small team. It has worked for commando units in the past, though never with this many swarms." Samara suggested.

"What about the rest of us?" Jack asked.

"There is a closed route without any seeker swarms that will allow for another distraction team, but that team will be unable to reach the central chamber unless the biotic team opened another set of doors." EDI added.

"We don't have much of a choice," Shepard nodded. "We need to get through those doors. We can meet up once we get them open."

"I'll lead that group," Miranda volunteered.

"Alright, let's move out!" Shepard ordered.

"Be careful," Dr. Chakwas said and gave Shepard another hug. She glanced over as a few of the crew members picked up Jacob's body. Shepard patted Dr. Chakwas on the arm and gave her a reassuring nod. She saw the crew and Miranda's distraction team off and took a deep breath. She hoped Samara's barrier would keep the swarms at bay. She'd already lost one solider today, she didn't want to see anyone else die


	86. The Long Walk

Samara summoned a large barrier field around them and nodded at Shepard. She'd asked Garrus and Grunt to come along and they opened the doors to the large chamber in front of them. The seeker swarms immediately enveloped them, but Samara's barrier kept them from penetrating. "I will hold the barrier as long as I can, but it will weaken me quickly," Samara said.

"Let's move fast then," Shepard replied.

The swarms beat down against the barrier incessantly, but it held fast. It provided some protection against the Collectors they encountered as well. "We are getting a little resistance here, how is your team, Miranda?" Shepard radioed.

"We've got a lot of heavy fire here, but no swarms," Miranda radioed back through a lot of static.

"The swarms are interfering with our radios," Garrus noted.

"Let's keep in contact as much as we can," Shepard pushed them on.

They kept moving through the large chamber and found more Collector resistance in their way. Samara began to slow, but the barrier kept holding. "Are you alright?" Shepard asked her.

"We need to get to the end soon, I don't know how much longer I can maintain the field," Samara answered, all of her concentration on keeping the field up.

"EDI, is that the door we need to open, down that long ramp?" Shepard asked.

"Correct. I am reading heavy hostile fire behind the distraction team and quickly closing on your position as well."

"They are trying to get behind us again, we need to hurry," Shepard yelled at Garrus and Grunt. "Can you run?" Shepard asked Samara.

"For the moment."

"Garrus, stay with Samara in the rear, keep her safe. Grunt and I will kill anything in front. Let's move, now!"

Shepard ran just behind the edge of the barrier, shooting at anything that moved. She could see the entrance clearly now and pressed them on. "We are almost there Samara, hold on!" Shepard yelled as she saw the barrier weakening a little.

"There are too many behind us!" Garrus yelled.

Shepard turned to add fire support and ran backwards as fast as she could. She stumbled at the edge of the ramp and fell into the entrance at the bottom. Grunt stood at the doors providing cover fire. "Come on, come on!" she yelled to Garrus and Samara. She could see the Collectors and Husks closing in. With one last burst of biotic energy, Samara pushed the entire group back and collapsed in Garrus' arms.

Shepard climbed back up the ramp to help them inside and Grunt closed the door before the swarms could get to them. "Are you alright?" Shepard asked, as Garrus set Samara down.

"I will need a long rest, that's all," Samara said weakly.

"Commander, we are getting close to the doors and taking heavy fire." Miranda radioed.

Shepard ran towards the door and found the control panel. She search for an override but couldn't find one. "We're here, we need the doors open now!" Miranda added.

"I am trying, I can't find the override." Shepard scrambled through the systems. The override was well hidden, but Shepard eventually found it and opened the doors. Miranda and the rest of the team stumbled inside as the Collectors quickly closed in. Shepard shut the doors and noticed that Miranda had collapsed. "Miranda!" Shepard ran to her, fearful that she would lose another soldier.

"I'm alright, Shepard. It is just a flesh wound," Miranda grimaced. The wound was worse than that, but didn't appear life threatening. Shepard took a medi-gel pack out of her hard suit and put it over Miranda's wound.

"Commander, Mordin and the crew are back on the Normandy safely, but it looks like the entire Collector force is amassing at the doors behind you," Joker radioed.

"Someone has to hold these doors," Miranda tried to stand up. "It will keep the Collectors off your back while you reach the central chamber."

"I don't want to leave people here to die," Shepard shook her head.

"These doors are narrow enough to provide a funnel. We should stand a good chance against them here," Zaeed noted. "We'll leave a pile of bodies they'll have to fight over to get to us."

"The central chamber isn't far, we can hold them off while you sabotage the base," Garrus nodded.

Shepard sat down to take a breath. "This is it then," she sighed and pulled off her helmet. Her strength was wearing thin and the pain in her head had returned. Her hair was plastered down from sweat and her lips were dry. "We've only lost one so far. And this was supposed to be a suicide mission," she shook her head and tried to stay strong. "You've all done the impossible."

"You led us here," Garrus held her shoulder warmly.

"I am too exhausted for big speeches. We knew what was at stake when we came here, but I have never been more proud to command such a fine group of soldiers, assassins, and vigilantes," Shepard laughed a little. "If you can hold the line here, I will send this base to hell. I want to see everyone of you on the other side of this fight, so don't let me down."

She stood and picked up her sniper rifle. "Miranda, you are in no shape to fight, so you might as well come with me. Samara as well. Everyone else, you'll need these," Shepard tossed her spare heat clips down to them and led Samara and Miranda towards the central chamber. There wasn't much resistance and they soon came to the horrifying secret the central chamber held. All the tubes that were pumping the human material, were being fed into an enormous machine. "What the hell is this EDI?" Shepard asked as she stared up at the horrifying construct.

"If my readings are correct, the Collectors are building a Reaper." EDI replied.

"A Reaper? Why does it look human then?" Shepard asked.

"From what I can surmise, the inner structure of a Reaper may take the form of the species it was harvested from."

"They would need millions more bodies to finish this," Miranda shook her head.

"We've got to destroy this thing," Shepard frowned. "I won't let all those lives lost amount to this abomination."

"A few Collectors have broken off from the main group and are headed your way, I suggest you take cover," EDI added.

Shepard staked out a position and waited for the Collectors to come. She peeked through her rifle scope, looking for some sort of weakness in the machine. "EDI, what are those tubes? Are they feeding that thing?" she asked.

"The tubes are currently providing the sluice of human raw material. They are also keeping the Reaper aloft. If you destroyed them, the Reaper would fall into the floor below."

"You heard her. We destroy the tubes, we destroy this monster," Shepard yelled to Samara and Miranda.

"We will keep the Collectors off you. Take care of the tubes with your rifle," Miranda nodded.

Shepard cocked her rifle and began destroying the tubes. The Collectors had only sent a small force against them and were easy to kill. Shepard's Widow rifle made short work of the tubes as well. The Reaper fell with a loud crash and left the hollow room in eerie silence. Shepard let out a sigh of relief and replaced her sniper rifle. She pulled off her helmet again to her some air on her face. She ran a hand across her forehead and came back with blood on her glove. "Damn it," she swore, as the medi-gel patch fell away.

"Shepard, you are bleeding," Samara approached her.

"Garrus is all talons. I don't think he put the patch on right," Shepard squinted as a drop of blood fell past her eye.

"I will do what I can," Samara replied and helped put another patch on Shepard's forehead.

"Let's get this bomb set and get the hell out of here," Shepard stood up after she was done


	87. I Think She'll Live

Shepard fixed her helmet back on and radioed Garrus and the fire team. "Garrus, what is your status?"

"We got hit hard, but the Collectors are starting to let up. The team is in one piece for now," Garrus radioed back.

"Can you start moving back towards the Normandy? We are about to plant the bomb in the station's core."

"We will begin heading that way once the Collectors give us a break. Good luck Shepard. I will see you back on the Normandy."

"Shepard, the Illusive Man would like to speak to you," EDI interrupted.

"What now?" Shepard asked.

"I will patch him through on my omni-tool," Miranda said.

Shepard pulled up the core and began attaching the bomb. "Shepard, there might be another solution besides blowing up the base," the Illusive Man said.

"What the hell are you talking about? The whole point of this mission was to destroy the base."

"EDI could rig the bomb to emit a pulse that would kill all of the Collectors, but leave the base intact."

"Are you insane? They were building a human Reaper in this place. It has to be destroyed."

"Shepard is right. This place in an abomination," Miranda added.

"I would expect that attitude from Shepard, but not you Miranda. Think of what this base could do for humanity."

"I didn't come here for humanity. The Reapers are a threat to everyone, the Collectors are just the first step." Shepard replied.

"You have to look beyond what your narrow mind sees. This could be the greatest advance in human technology since we discovered the Mass Relays."

"Yeah and that dragged us into a war with the Turians. We don't need this place."

"Miranda, you can't let Shepard destroy the base. I order you to do whatever it takes to preserve it."

"Shepard is right. And I don't take orders from you anymore. Consider this my resignation," Miranda closed her omni-tool.

"How could he even consider saving this place?" Miranda shook her head. "I don't even know what to say."

"We can contemplate that back on the Normandy," Shepard replied.

As she finished rigging the bomb, the room began to shake. "What the hell is that? I haven't even started the timer," Shepard replaced the core and grabbed her gun. Samara ran to the edge of the platform and looked down cautiously.

"It's the Reaper! It's trying to climb back up!" Samara yelled. She cast a warp field down at it, but it didn't budge.

"Damn it, I thought we'd taken care of that thing." Shepard knitted her brow. She thought for a moment and bit her lip. "Get ready to run, I am setting the timer," she replied and took her heavy weapon off her back. "As soon as this thing dies, we are out of here."

She waited patiently for the Reaper's head to appear and fired a shot as soon as it came over the platform. It struggled to hold onto the edge and grated its claws in the floor, eventually falling again with a horrific mechanic cry. "Let's move!" Shepard shouted and tossed the heavy gun aside.

She ran as fast as she could, trying to catch up with Samara and Miranda. She felt the bomb rip apart the station core and pressed them on. "Joker, what is your status?" Shepard radioed, out of breath.

"Everyone is on board. We've got a lock on your position. Head straight out of the hallway you are in. The base is going up fast, you better hurry.

Shepard's legs and lungs ached but she pushed herself forward and ignored the fire at her back. She felt a few rounds ping off her shields, but she just kept running. She activated her breather mask and ran towards the open airlock. She stumbled as the base began to shudder, but got back to her feet quickly. She helped Miranda and Samara across and jumped into the Normandy. "Is everyone aboard?" Joker radioed.

"Yes, let's go!" Miranda yelled.

The Normandy limped away as fast as it could, but was still crippled from the crash. Shepard had collapsed in the airlock and felt the Normandy rocked by the shockwave of the exploding base. She peeled off her helmet and tossed it across the airlock. She felt a burning pain in her back that told her at least on round had gotten past her shields. Thane opened the inner airlock and helped them inside. "Shepard, you are injured," Thane helped her as she tried to limp towards the bridge.

"Joker, how is my ship?" Shepard asked.

"I think she'll live," Joker replied and smiled at her slightly


	88. Repairs

It was slow going in the Normandy, but it was still able to fly at a crippled pace. Shepard worried that they would not be able to make it back through the relay. It would be a cruel joke if nearly all the crew survived only to be stuck at the galaxy core. As Shepard waited for the Normandy to reach the relay, she went to have one last chat with the Illusive Man. The QEC was still operation despite the damage to the ship. The Illusive Man looked displeased at Shepard's call. "I thought you were smarter than this Shepard," the Illusive Man said. "That base could have saved a lot of lives."

"Well, you've misjudged a lot of things. We are doing things my way from now on. The Reapers are our main threat. You can either stand with me or get out of my way." Shepard crossed her arms across her chest.

"I don't take kindly to threats," the Illusive Man narrowed his icy blue eyes at her. "You don't want to be my enemy, Shepard."

"We were never allies," Shepard smirked and took her pistol off her hip. "The next time I see you, this will be all I have to say to you." She aimed the pistol at the QEC and shot the controls. She brushed away the burning pieces and found a hidden tracking device inside. 'The Illusive Man will never get to make good on his threats I can help it,' she thought to herself.

She gave the device to Kasumi and asked her and EDI to clear out anything else that could allow the Illusive Man to track the ship. Shepard then limped down to the medical bay and asked Dr. Chakwas to look at the wound on her back. "My god Shepard, another few inches and it would have hit one of your kidneys," the doctor shook her head.

"I guess I am just lucky," Shepard grimaced as the doctor helped take off her breastplate. Shepard glanced over and saw Jacob's body on one of the tables. "But not good enough," she added.

"You can't blame yourself. You lost one out of a crew of thirty. I say that is pretty miraculous." Dr. Chakwas bent over to examine the wound. Shepard felt a sharp pain and hissed a little. "You are going to have to lie down," the doctor added. "A piece of your armor is embedded in the wound. I will have to sedate you."

Shepard climbed up onto one of the medical tables face first and laid down. The doctor cleaned the wound and injected a sedative into her neck and she quickly drifted off. When she woke up again, the med bay was empty. She was groggy from the sedative and pain meds, but sat up and rubbed her face. She climbed off the table and went to the comm terminal by Dr. Chakwas' desk. "Joker, how are we doing?" Shepard asked. She didn't know how long she had been out.

"We are through the relay safe and sound but the Normandy is laboring. I am going to try for Omega, but we might not make it." Joker replied.

"Keep me informed, I will be in my cabin," Shepard swayed for a moment. She wanted nothing more than to sleep again, but she hesitated and walked over to the table that held Jacob's body. "You were a real asshole sometimes, but you were a damn good soldier," Shepard said aloud. "I've only lost five under my command, you are the sixth. Your sacrifice won't be in vain."

She headed up to her cabin to shower and get some rest. She thought about the number of men she'd lost and remembered she hadn't include the twenty-one that had gone down with the first Normandy. She couldn't believe she'd lost so many in such a short time, even if there was nothing she could do about. Despite her racing thoughts, she slept long enough that Omega could be seen in the distance, but the Normandy's engines had begun to stall intermittently. "Can we make it to Omega?" Shepard came down to the bridge.

"Maybe, but she won't go further than that. She is going to need millions of creds in repairs," Joker replied.

"By my calculations, the cost for current repairs at market price, is five million seven hundred thousand and thirty-four credits."

"Whew," Shepard shook her head sarcastically. "If it was five point seven three five, we would have had a problem. Well, can't go asking Cerberus for money since I told the Illusive Man to fuck off."

"What are we going to do?" Joker asked.

"I don't know." Shepard frowned

She left the bridge and called the crew into the briefing room. "This ship is no longer part of Cerberus, which means we are going to have to pay our own way somehow, including all the repairs. We are going to try to reach Omega, if you want to leave that is your choice. We still have a lot of hard work ahead of us."

"We are all behind you Shepard," Miranda nodded.

Most of the crew agreed, but some were eager to get back to their families. The Normandy slowly made its way towards Omega and docked at one of the lower ports. The communications arrays had been destroyed, so everyone offloaded to contact their families. Shepard stopped at a public extranet terminal to contact Kaidan. The mail address she sent the message to immediately pinged back. "Damn it." Shepard swore and tried it again to no avail. She wanted to let him know she was okay, but unless she could get back to the Citadel, she would have no way to talk to him.

She wandered around the station and found herself in front of a bank. She wondered if she could get ahold of the credits she had before she died. She went inside to speak with one of the volus. He was able to find her money, but tried explaining that there would be a transfer fee of twenty percent. Shepard wasn't buying it and nearly tossed him across the room before he agreed to waive the fee. With her savings and investments, she had a little over one million credits. By sheer luck, her investments in weapons manufacturers had skyrocketed after Sovereign's attack on the Citadel. It was a start, but not even enough to fix the Normandy, let alone fuel and feed the ship and its crew.

Shepard reached out to a few contacts and managed to find a some odd jobs that would get the ball rolling. She got in touch with Liara, who asked her to come to Illium for a short stay. She promised to find more contacts to get a flow of credits happening. She even offered to pay the shuttle fee from Omega. Shepard agreed and half hoped Liara might be able to find Kaidan's contact information.

She returned to the ship after hiring a few sturdy and honest looking ship contractors to start doing estimates on the Normandy repairs. She caught up with some her crew and made arrangements to take a shuttle to Illium. She sent a message to Admiral Hackett, letting him know the abductions would be at an end. She hoped he could be of some assistance in getting the Normandy back online. She'd helped him with a few secret missions during the years and she hoped he still had faith in her. She left Garrus and Miranda in charge of overseeing the repairs.

She left for Illium the next day and arrived at Liara's office late in the afternoon. "Thank you so much for coming. I am so glad you are all right. My contacts told me a Cerberus ship went through the Omega-4 Relay. I knew it had to be you." Liara hugged Shepard.

"The Collectors kidnapped my crew. I had to get them back. They trusted me to keep them safe."

"And the Collectors?"

"We blew up their base and found out why they were abducting humans." Shepard paused before continuing. "They were building a Reaper made up of processed human material. Thousands of lives for some sick purpose. I don't understand it. And what's worse, the Collectors used to be Prothean. The Reapers genetically rewrote them to be drones. They didn't destroy them all, they enslaved them."

"What? That can't be possible!"

"Our AI did a scan of their DNA. The same quad strand and everything. I can have her forward you the data."

"Yes, I would like to see it. What a sad end to such a noble species," Liara shook her head. "It is all the more reassuring that they did not get possession of your body. Who knows what they would have done with you."

She paused then continued again. "That is actually why I asked you to come here. The drell who helped me find you, Feron, he was once an agent for the Shadow Broker. After he betrayed the Broker to save you, the Shadow Broker captured him. I have information that may help me find him. The information you gave me made it all possible."

"The Illusive Man gave me the data. For whatever twisted purpose. He knows how long he had it. But I'd certainly like to thank the man who gave me a second chance." Shepard nodded.

"Very good, I've set you up in the same hotel as the last time. I need to go home and work on some things. I will give you the address to my apartment. Meet me there in a few hours after you get settled."

"If you happen to run across any information on Kaidan, let me know. I tried contacting him, but it sent my message back. I don't know if he is on another secret assignment."

"Certainly," Liara nodded.

Shepard left Liara's office and checked into her hotel. She took a long bath and ate dinner before taking a cab to Liara's apartment. She began to worry when she saw police cars outside. "What the fuck is going on now?" Shepard mumbled as she stepped out of the cab.


	89. Driving Lessons

"What is going on here?" Shepard asked one of the police officers standing outside the door of Liara's apartment.

"There was an incident an hour ago. I am afraid I can't give you any details," the officer at the door replied.

"This is Dr. T'soni's apartment right? I was supposed to come see her. Did something happen to her?"

"You are Shepard," an Asari woman said, coming to the doorway.

"Do I know you?" Shepard asked.

"Tela Vasir, Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. I know you only by reputation I am afraid."

"What is a Spectre doing this far from the Citadel?"

"I am here by coincidence only," Tela replied. "Someone tried to kill your friend. I thought I'd help out." She motioned for Shepard to come inside and dismissed the police officers.

"Why would anyone want to kill Liara?'

"I don't know, I am still trying to gather information. You know her better than I do. If you see anything out of place, let me know."

Shepard looked through the apartment and was troubled by the bullet holes in the window. There was no blood, but it was still an unsettling sight. She'd just talked to Liara a few hours ago, she couldn't imagine what kind of trouble she could have gotten into. Shepard went upstairs to the loft and saw a strange photo by the bed. It was a generic picture of Kaidan pulled off the extranet from his Alliance military profile. "What the hell is this?" Shepard picked up the frame. The picture suddenly changed to an artist's rendition of Ilos for a moment then changed back. "I think I've got something up here," Shepard yelled down to Tela.

"Liara had a human lover?" Tela looked at the picture Shepard was holding.

"No, this is my, he is a friend. Liara knew I would see this. The picture changed to a landscape from the planet Ilos when I picked it up," Shepard replied.

"Ilos, I have never heard of it," Tela shrugged her shoulders.

"It was the last stronghold of the Protheans."

"Well, there are plenty of Prothean artifacts around here. Maybe it has something to do with them."

Shepard followed Tela downstairs and they looked closely at the artifacts Liara had encased throughout the apartment. As Shepard examined the cases, she found a seam on one of them. She ran her finger across it and a small tray popped out with a backup disk on it. "She should be a Spectre. She is pretty good at hiding things," Tela noted.

Shepard took the disk to the terminal in the living room and inserted it. It was a recorded vidcomm conversation from a few hours earlier. Liara's contact, Sekat had found the location of the Shadow Broker's base and wanted to see her at his office. "I know where that is, we can take my car," Tela nodded.

Shepard climbed into Tela's sky car and they rode towards the Baria Frontiers office. As Tela parked the car, the windows of the office building exploded with a loud crash. "What the fuck is going on?" Shepard jumped out of the car. She stepped out of the way of a flaming piece of debris and scanned the building.

"Someone really wants your friend dead," Tela yelled, halfway out the door. "I will head to the top of the building and secure the exits. Go up through the bottom and I will meet you on the third floor, that's where the offices were."

"I don't even have a gun," Shepard replied.

"Here," Tela tossed a pistol at her. "I've got more in the back if I need them. I will see you on the third floor. I don't hold out a lot of hope that your friend is still alive." She climbed back into the car and flew towards the roof.

Shepard loaded the pistol and frowned. She thought Illium would be a nice break after defeating the Collectors. She could only hope Liara hadn't been in the building or was wily enough to get away. The building was choked with smoke, so Shepard stayed low. It was hard to see with the smoke burning her eyes, but she managed to find a stairway up to the third floor. The offices had still been occupied this late in the evening and Shepard passed a lot of scorched bodies. "This seems like overkill," Shepard radioed to Tela. "Blow up a whole building to kill one person."

"You have to admire their determination," Tela replied.

"No, there is nothing admirable about blowing up innocent people. There are better ways to kill someone."

"I never heard how you killed Saren. I bet that is a tale."

"He shot himself because he'd been brainwashed. I only killed his possessed corpse," Shepard replied. "Some of these bodies weren't burned. It looks like they've been shot."

"The explosion was a distraction then," Tela surmised.

"No, I think they were pretty clear about blowing this place up." Shepard stopped in front of a military grade explosive charge. "This is expensive stuff. Not something amateurs like this would normally use. Something about this doesn't feel right."

"I'm just coming down the stairs on the fifth floor. Where are you?" Tela asked.

"I am on the third floor. The offices are a mess. I am trying to find my way through now."

As Shepard walked into the front lobby of the offices, she was immediately fired upon. She dove behind the desk and took cover. "I've got hostiles down here," Shepard radioed.

"Most likely operatives of the Shadow Broker. I'm coming down to help."

Shepard tried picking the operatives off with her pistol, but between the smoke and darkness, she missed more often than not. She kept low and moved in closer and used her hand to hand tactics to disarm and incapacitate. She heard a brief amount of gun fire in a nearby room and found Tela inside with Sekat and another Shadow Broker operative dead. "If only I'd gotten here sooner," Tela put her SMG away. "He executed him."

"Liara's contact," Shepard looked down at the dead Salarian. "But no sign of Liara."

"She must have been caught in the explosion. It looks like they got what they came for."

Liara jumped down from the ceiling suddenly with pistol in hand. "And so did you," Liara accused, pointing the gun at Tela.

"Liara, what the hell is going on?" Shepard asked. "What were you doing up there?"

"I had to hide in the ventilation shafts to get away from the guards. She is the one who tried to kill me at my apartment. And she sent the Shadow Broker's men here to kill Sekat," Liara replied.

"She's a Spectre. Why would she try to kill you?" Shepard hesitated to pull her gun out.

"She is also on the Shadow Broker's payroll. She killed Sekat and probably took the data off him."

"Why don't you open your jacket and clear this up?" Shepard asked, raising her gun. She noticed that Tela had been particularly silent.

Tela raised her hand, but instead of reaching into her jacket she hit Shepard and Liara with a powerful warp blast. Shepard slammed into the wall, all the air escaping her lungs. The healing gunshot wound on her back burned furiously. "Shepard, are you okay?" Liara asked, picking herself up and offering Shepard a hand.

"No. I got shot a few days ago and I thought this was going to be an easy job."

"We have to go after her. If I lose this data, I lose Feron."

"Come on then," Shepard groaned and climbed to her feet.

They ran through the debris and up to the roof where Tela had parked her sky car. "She is getting away," Liara pointed as Tela took off. "Come on," she added, smashing a nearby window with her biotics. "I don't know how to drive, you will have to take the wheel."

Shepard hadn't flown in years, but she was in no position to refuse Liara. She climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. It lurched at first, but Shepard gave it a little less pitch and finally got it going. "I hope you know I flunked flight training," Shepard gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Where the hell is she?"

"There," Liara pointed.

"This Feron must be pretty important to you. How the hell did all this happen?" Shepard asked, blowing on the car's horn. "Get the fuck out of the way!"

"While we were looking for you, we formed a bond, of sorts," Liara replied.

"Did you sleep with him?" Shepard asked, turning to glance at Liara.

"Look out!" Liara yelled as a large van cut Shepard off.

"Fuck you asshole! Fucking Blue Tail Companion Services!" Shepard read the name on the van and blared the horn again.

"The van is likely full of Asari escorts." Liara blushed. "And no, I did not sleep with Feron. Our relationship was, well, I don't know."

"Well, you better sleep with him after this!" Shepard yelled and swerved around a slower driver. "Fuck you!" She made an obscene gesture at the driver.

"Is this why you flunked flight school?" Liara asked, strapping herself into the seat.

Shepard said nothing, but concentrated on catching Tela's sky car. She managed to get close enough to ram her bumper, but Tela began firing on them with her SMG. Shepard had to keep her distance and handed Liara her pistol. "Shoot at her please," Shepard asked, hitting the gas hard. She rammed Tela's car hard and quickly dropped back behind her as Liara shot the car a few times.

Tela's car started to labor and when she tried to cut in front of another large van, she clipped her back bumper and sent her car into a spin. "She is going down," Liara pointed out.

"I've got her," Shepard steered the car downward.

Tela's car came to rest on the patio of a large building and Shepard tried to find a safe place to land. Tela continued to fire her SMG towards the car, keeping them back. "Keep shooting at her!" Shepard urged, as she felt the car being pelting with heat rounds. She tried to set the car down on the patio above, but she couldn't manage it and they landed hard on the same patio as Tela. With all her ammo spent, Tela limped away, obviously injured from the crash.

"Well, she's hurt so she won't get away quickly," Shepard climbed out of the door.

"And she's bleeding." Liara pointed. "She will leave us a trail.


	90. Last Dance

A/N: This is my last chapter before the events of Mass Effect 2 and 3 connect! Thank you for hanging with me! Ten chapters away from 100! The next chapters will be full of heavy Mass Effect 3 spoilers, so be warned!

Shepard and Liara followed Vasir's blood trail through the penthouses of the patio they'd landed on. Vasir finally slowed and decided to make a last stand where she stood. Even injured, her biotics were greater than Liara's. Shepard did what she could with the pistol she'd been given, but Vasir moved too quickly to get an accurate shot. Shepard's only successful hit was throwing her dead pistol at Vasir's head. The pain in Shepard's back grew worse, so she stayed out of the way and let the two biotics battle each other.

Vasir's blood loss finally worn her down and she eventually collapsed. Liara pulled the data disk off her and looked at Shepard. "You aren't going to kill me?" Tela asked, looking at Shepard. "You don't have it in you. Like you couldn't kill Saren."

"I would have killed Saren. He just did my job for me. You will bleed to death eventually. It serves you right for dragging me into this mess. I've had a bad week," Shepard groaned and sat down.

"Shepard, you are bleeding," Liara noted, seeing blood seeping through Shepard's jacket.

Tela closed her eyes, but neither of them checked to see if she was dead. "Anything useful on that disk?" Shepard sighed and pulled off her jacket.

"It looks like Sekat was right. The Shadow Broker base is circling the planet Hagalaz. The disk also has information on the Shadow Broker. He wanted me dead at any cost. You've save my life again, Shepard. How can I thank you?"

"You can look at this thing on my back," Shepard winched and lifted up the back of her shirt.

"You've split open the wound. It will need to be sutured again," Liara noted.

"Well, I guess we should call a cab to take me to a clinic," Shepard added.

Shepard got patched up and Liara returned with her to the hotel. None of the restaurants in the hotel were open, so they ordered room service. They discussed their plans for infiltrating the Shadow Broker's base. Liara wanted to use the Normandy's stealth systems and promised to find funding to fix the ship as soon as possible. Shepard wasn't looking forward to storming the base, but getting the Normandy fixed was a priority and she wanted to help Liara.

Shepard finally got to sleep in the middle of the night and slept well into the morning. By then, Liara had already made arrangements for getting the Normandy fixed. She'd owe a lot of people a lot of credits, but she was determine to save Feron. Shepard still doubted that he and Liara didn't have an intimate relationship, but she didn't press the matter with Liara. They would both be getting what they wanted out of the situation. In Liara wanted discretion, that was her business.

Liara returned with Shepard to Omega and waited for the ship repairs to get finished. Liara thought Omega was distasteful and remained on the Normandy most of the time. Shepard would occasionally venture out to look for new contacts and information. She spent a lot of time in Afterlife playing cards with Aria in Afterlife. Aria appreciated Shepard's upfront attitude and Shepard appreciated Aria's fine stock of Thessia Red and crude humor. Kasumi and Miranda would occasionally join them and the four women would argue back and forth. Shepard liked having strong, fearless women around her for a change. It helped take her mind off Kaidan, though more often that not, she fell asleep buried in the sweater that had long lost his smell.

When the Normandy was fully operational, they headed for Hagalaz. The interior of the ship still needed some work, but it could be repaired by the crew in time. Infiltrating the base proved to be the easy part, trying to take down the Shadow Broker was another task. The Shadow Broker was a hulking Yahg, who'd killed the previous Broker. He towered over Liara and Shepard and didn't take kindly to their unexpected visit. Grunt thankfully made short work of him after he'd thrown Shepard and Liara across the room. "I think I will make these teeth into a necklace," Grunt laughed, looking over the Broker's body.

"I am sure that will get you all the women on Tuchanka!" Shepard laughed through the pain of a few broken ribs. She'd made the decision mid-air that she needed a vacation. When her body slammed against the wall, she decided it would be a long vacation.

"Something is happening over here," Liara seemed worried, standing in front of the Broker's enormous console.

"What is it now?" Shepard groaned. The entire board on the Shadow Broker's console was lit up. "What is happening?" Shepard asked. Many voices on the board asked the same question.

"The Shadow Broker must have had something that monitored his heart rate. Now that he is dead, it has alerted every operative in the system," Liara said, a panicked expression on her face. She began working at the controls.

"What are you doing?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Liara sighed and opened all the contact channels. "This is the Shadow Broker. We've had a temporary power malfunction but everything has been restored. I want reports by the hour as usual."

"Why did you say that?" Shepard asked, watching the contacts signing off.

"Why can't lose this Shepard. This network of information. Imagine what it could do for us," Liara said. Shepard could see she was shaking.

"You want to be the new Shadow Broker?" Shepard asked, putting her hands on Liara's shoulders to calm her. "The one who once screeched because Lt. Fuzzypants crawled across your leg."

"Well, Garrus shouldn't have let him out," Liara lowered her eyes. She said nothing for a moment and raised her eyes again. "Yes, I think I want this. We should get Feron out of his cell," she added.

The drell was weak but still able to walk. The Shadow Broker's torture had only been mildly incapacitating. "Commander Shepard, it is an honor to meet you, in the flesh," he said as they helped him back to the main office.

"Thank you for helping Liara. You got into all this trouble because of me."

"What they wanted to do with your body was a crime," Feron labored slightly.

"There is a couch back here," Liara helped him over.

"I'll give you two a minute," Shepard said, heading back towards the main office.

"You should be able to browse on one of the consoles. The Broker had no internal security for his files," Liara added. "Maybe you can find something on Kaidan."

Shepard sat down and began searching for information on him. She hoped she could find him and spend her vacation with him. She found a large dossier that was linked to Shepard's even larger file. She skipped over her information and scanned Kaidan's. Most of it was generic; recent purchases and security check ins. She noticed he'd checked in at the Mindoir Spaceport a year ago and Shepard opened the tab to browse the information inside. She was curious to find out why he'd been on her home colony.

There were a few notes mentioning Shepard that linked to a video file. It showed Kaidan in a large plaza, holding flowers in his hand. He went out of view for a while and then returned to set the flowers down. When Shepard looked at the codec, it said the location was Shepard Memorial Plaza and the date was one year after the Normandy attack. She sat for a moment in sadness, contemplating how unreasonable it was for her to expect everything between them to go back to normal. He'd mourned her for two years and she kept expecting him to accept her out of the blue. She wiped a tear away and rewound the video back to his face. She wanted to find him, but through every bit of information she couldn't find his current location.

Shepard looked through her own files until Liara finally urged her to rest. The Shadow Broker had gained a lot of information on Shepard, some she'd almost forgotten. The Broker's base was fully stocked, so Shepard stayed down with Liara. She spent a few more days going over files on Cerberus and the Illusive Man. She started making plans to take down some of their larger bases.

Liara settled into her new role as the Shadow Broker easily and Feron stayed on to assist her for the moment.

There was some obvious tension between them and Shepard hoped they could work it out in their own time. She returned to the Normandy and steered the ship towards a few quick jobs that would help repay the loans Liara had taken out. She decided a vacation could wait until she could be with Kaidan. Liara had promised to look out for any information on him.

Shepard occupied her time doing research and trying to reach out to other species about the Reaper threat. She grew unhappy when most of them dismissed her claims. They started hitting a few Cerberus bases that revealed even more vile experiments on organics and synthetics alike. The team hit quickly so the Illusive Man could never find them, but still felt the sting of another cell being destroyed.

Grun's urge to return to Tuchanka grew, so Shepard dropped him off and spent a few days with Wrex. His unification of the clans seemed to still be going smooth after a few minor bumps. Shepard was glad to see it and hoped the other species would be as prepared when the Reapers came. The last night the Normandy was on Tuchanka, Wrex held another raucous celebration. Shepard returned to the Normandy drunk and didn't see Admiral Hackett's message until the morning after


	91. Prisoner Transfer

A/N: I had to gloss over Overload and Arrival since my Xbox is broken and I don't want to have to re-buy them on Playstation (I am cheap). I might expand a chapter later once I get it fixed.

Shepard sat in handcuffs, trying to play out the last two weeks in her head. She'd read Admiral Hackett's email with a hangover and had called him immediately. She was alarmed by news of the Reapers and agreed to infiltrate the Batarian prison at once. She wanted to find out everything Dr. Kenson knew about the Reapers and the mysterious artifact her team had discovered. She was used to stealth missions and was confident she could get the doctor out safely. Infiltrating the prison had been bloodless with Shepard's stealth training and getting Dr. Kenson out had only been a minor fight with a few untrained Batarian prison guards. Dr. Kenson's betrayal, however, was the surprise that had gotten Shepard shot three times.

Shepard didn't know how long she'd be sedated before she'd woken up and killed everyone else in the base that had been indoctrinated. From what she could piece together, it had been at least a week. She'd made a split second decision to destroy the relay, knowing that she needed to delay the Reapers. The loss of three hundred thousand lives was a small price to pay for saving three hundred billion lives.

When she'd reported back to Admiral Hackett, he seemed less than pleased with what had happened. The Hegemony was calling for Shepard's head, replaying hidden security footage of her throughout the Batarian a choice, Shepard had agreed to turn herself into the Alliance. That is how she'd ended up in handcuffs, sitting in an Alliance shuttle with the newly made Admiral Anderson and her hulk of a bodyguard, James.

Shepard hadn't had much time to say goodbye to the Normandy crew, only insisting they keep spreading the threat of the Reapers to their respective species. Shepard knew she had only delayed the Reapers for a year or two. She sighed thinking about it all and Admiral Anderson took notice. "Thinking about something Shepard?" Anderson asked.

"Thinking about how I always get myself into these situations. I only get two bad choices to choose from and have to live with the consequences," she frowned and glanced over at the stoic James Vega. He seemed to take no notice of their discussion.

"Were the Reapers really that close to entering the galaxy?' Anderson asked.

"I wouldn't have done it if they weren't," Shepard replied. She'd been asked similar questions by everyone she'd talked to lately. It made her angry that anyone would believe she did it for any other reason. "Who took your Council seat? I put your name forward because I wanted someone who believed in me." She didn't make an effort to hide the anger in her voice.

"I always believed in you Shepard, but killing three hundred thousand Batarians puts me in an awkward situation."

"I know humanity has to save face in front of the Batarians, but what good is locking me up if the Reapers are still coming?"

"Locking you up keeps humanity from all out war with the Batarians. We can't fight the Batarians and the Reapers at the same time. Admiral Hackett is already trying to work out some covert deals to get ahead of the Reapers. You said you delayed them by destroying the Alpha Relay. For how long?"

"Who knows? Six months, a year maybe. Unless we start preparing now, we are doomed."

"Well, Udina is taking care of the politics. I will do what I can from Earth."

"Udina? Fuck, we are all screwed," Shepard shut her eyes tightly. Her pain meds were starting to wear off and the four bullet wounds in her back and chest were starting to ache again.

She tried to sleep but Kodiak shuttles weren't known for their comfortable rides. She drifted off for a moment, but the memories of the past few months haunted her dreams. The Collectors, the humans turned into gray waste, men forced to interface with the Geth collective, the Quarians ready to go to war again. Shepard didn't know if anything she could do would stop the Reapers, with organics trying hard enough to do their job for them. Bad blood ran thick throughout the galaxy, be it red, orange, or blue.

The shuttle soon rendezvoused with the cruiser that would be taking Shepard to Alliance Headquarters in Vancouver. She was escorted out by James and taken to the ship's brig. James stood outside the kinetic barrier with his arms crossed. "How long until we reach Earth?" Shepard asked.

"Don't know ma'am," he replied shortly.

"What ship is this?"

"Don't know ma'am."

"Is that the only thing you say?"

"No, ma'am."

"You don't have to call me ma'am. I not a Commander anymore."

"Think of it as a sign of respect, ma'am," he turned and smiled at her a bit.

"I thought everyone had lost faith in me," Shepard frowned and leaned up against the wall next to the barrier curtain.

"I saw what the Collectors did. I was there when one of the colonies got hit. You went to their base and kicked their asses. That nets some respect in my book."

"You were stationed on one of the colonies?"

"Yeah," he replied and walked away from the door.

"You don't like to talk about it?"

"No." He paused. "I am going to the mess. Can I bring you anything?"

"Anything, I don't care." Shepard sat back down.

She knew James was there for her protection, but what could he do against a team of angry Batarian mercenaries who didn't care about collateral damage. She was a little glad to be going to Earth. Unless they somehow slipped something into her food, she would be safe for the most part.

James brought back dinner and ate his outside of her cell. There was only a small sink and toilet in the cell, so Shepard had no privacy. The wound on her lower back was starting to itch, so she pulled off her shirt and tried to see if it was infected.

"Got any tattoos?" James asked, staring in at her.

"You going to watch me piss too," Shepard grinned and twisted around to feel along her wound.

"Just curious is all. You've got the scars, they usually come with tattoos too."

"Does this look infected to you?" Shepard asked and moved towards the barrier curtain.

"Looks fine to me," James grinned.

Shepard pulled aside the hair behind her right ear and showed James the tiny sniper rifle she had tattooed behind it. "When I was younger, I thought I was a pretty good shot. Turns out I actually was, so I only regret it a little."

"That little thing, that's not a tattoo," James laughed and pulled off his jacket. One of his arms was completely covered. "Eight hours just for the outline. Another twenty for the rest," he boasted.

"Looks good," Shepard nodded.

"The tattoo or the muscles," James joked.

"Oh god," Shepard rolled her eyes. "Will you leave so I can go to the bathroom?"

James laughed again and left Shepard alone for a few minutes. She went to the bathroom and washed her face. By the time James returned, she'd taken off her boots and climbed into the small cot in the corner. It was rock hard and the blanket was scratchy. She sighed and tried to get settled in. It wasn't easy getting to sleep, but she finally drifted off again.

Alliance Headquarters was nicer than Shepard had expected. Large windows overlooked a courtyard and the water beyond. There was a double bed, a small bathroom and a datapad full of books. Shepard's only visitor besides James bringing her meals, was Admiral Anderson. He tried to keep Shepard informed and pried her for information about the Reapers and Cerberus. She got an hour of fresh air every other day and spend the rest of her time confined to her room. It wasn't a vacation, but Shepard figure it was better than being hunted by Batarian mercs


	92. The Beginning of the End

Confinement was finally starting to get to Shepard. The hour outside her room had been extended to everyday, but it wasn't enough to keep her restlessness at bay. James was the only person she was able to talk to on a regular basis and his sexual jokes and war stories had long started to bore her. It had been six long months of reading every book Shepard found mildly interesting. She had limited access to vids and the extranet, so reading took up most of her time.

She often wondered what Kaidan and the rest of her crew thought of her now. She was a disgraced officer on indefinite suspension of duties. She'd been looking forward to getting the chance to explain actions, but military justice seemed at the back of everyone's mind with all the trouble in the Batarian Hegemony. Her trial had been postponed indefinitely until the the Batarian situation resolved itself. Some believed the Batarians were preparing for war. All communication with Khar'Shan and the other Batarian colonies had been cut off for weeks. Shepard browsed Alliance News Net whenever she could and tried to keep up to date on the situation. Tensions seemed to be running high, but Shepard could only watch from her room.

She woke up one morning to find things more active than usual. She couldn't hear anything in her room, but people in the plaza below her seemed to be moving with more urgency. She eagerly awaited James bringing her breakfast in the morning. "What's going on? Have we heard something from the Batarians?" Shepard asked when James brought in her tray.

"Not that I know of," James replied. "The Defense Council is listening to testimony today. Maybe that is it."

"Everyone just looks on edge," Shepard noted, looking out the window again.

"The Batarians are just bluffing. They want the Alliance to attack first so they can say we started it. Don't let your chow get cold," James added, digging into his meal.

"You are eating in here with me today?" Shepard walked away from the window. "What do I owe the honor?"

"I thought we might play a little Skyllian Five before your fresh air. I got a new deck of cards." He slapped the deck onto the table and Shepard picked them up. The cover of the deck was an Asari in a sexually suggestive position. Apparently she was also the deck's queen of aces.

"If you think some naked women are going to make me blush and distract me, you got it all wrong. You should've bought cards with naked men on them." Shepard tossed the deck back towards James.

"Eh, I don't like to compare myself to other men. It makes me feel sorry for them," James joked.

"How many times were you thrown in the brig for sexual harassment of another officer?" Shepard smirked.

"I never served with many women. And none of them half as pretty as you," he grinned with a mouthful of food.

"Ugh, I am going to need that fresh air right away," Shepard shook her head and laughed.

They finished breakfast and James escorted her out to the courtyard where she could enjoy an hour of sunshine. It was a nice day with only a slight breeze in the air. She sat down on one of the benches and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted to war and death and she tried to shake them out of her mind. There was a child playing across the courtyard, screaming at his model ship like he was going into battle. Shepard had never been fond of children and the child's loud shouts got on her nerves quickly. She decided to cut her time short and returned to her room.

She sat down on the bed and grabbed her datapad, hoping to get some reading done. Destruction and terror still lingered in the back of her mind and made it hard for her to concentrate. She'd never been out of action for this long and she was starting to wonder if it was too deeply ingrained in her. She missed command and the rush of forming a battle plan together under pressure. She wanted to fire a gun or go hand to hand with someone. James had once offered to spar her, but Shepard didn't want to wound his pride. He may have had a foot and a half over her and at least a hundred pounds, but she was quicker and more agile.

She put down the datapad in frustration and went to look out the window again. She felt another headache coming on and pressed her face against the cool glass. She hadn't been standing for long before James came in again. "It isn't lunch time already?" Shepard wondered, glancing over at the clock on her terminal.

"No Commander. The defense council wants to talk to you."

"Why now? I've been waiting six months to talk to someone."

"I don't know, they just told me to bring you."

Shepard followed James out and saw a lot more people rushing around. "What the hell is going on?" Shepard asked. She saw Admiral Anderson ahead of her and quickened her pace. "What is happening? Why is everyone running around?"

"Alliance Command says there is something big coming our way," Anderson replied, walking alongside her.

"Is it the Batarians?" Shepard asked.

"We don't know. A lot of our communication is down. Admiral Hackett is already mobilizing the fleet."

"Do you think it is the Reapers?" Shepard stopped in her tracks.

"I can't say for certain. Do you think they could be here so soon?"

"Anything is possible with the Reapers. What does the defense council want from me?"

"They want answers, and you are the one to give them what the want."

"I could have told them a long time ago, they just didn't believe me. Or my crew for that matter."

"Can you blame them Shepard? The only ones that spoke with Sovereign or Harbinger were either alien or Cerberus. The only Alliance officer happened to be someone you were sleeping with."

Shepard's face flushed, realizing this was the first time she and Kaidan's relationship had ever been brought up. "What difference does it make? If it is the Reapers, we are too late," she tried to deflect away from Kaidan.

"They just want to hear something. Tell them what you know."

"Commander," James caught up with her. "I thought you might want this," he handed her a light flack jacket. She turned around to take it from him.

"Do you think they are going to start shooting me?" she laughed.

"Well, it might deflect some of the tough questions too," he smiled.

"Thanks," she nodded and pulled the jacket over her uniform.

"Major Alenko, how did it go?" Shepard heard Anderson say and she immediately turned around.

Kaidan was just coming out of the council chambers, his dress blues finely pressed. "It went alright," Kaidan answered, his eyes immediately drifting to Shepard.

"It's Major now?" Shepard tried to hide a smile and nodded at him. She could feel a happy, but nervous sensation creeping into her stomach. She'd thought about him everyday, but she never imagined he would show up out of the blue one day.

"Yeah," he smiled at her and rubbed the back of his neck as he always did when he was nervous. "The council should be waiting for you," he paused. "It's, it's good to see you though." She could see him biting his lip, holding back something he wanted to say.

As she walked past him, his hand brushed against hers slightly. She didn't know if he'd done it on purpose, but she wanted nothing more than to hug him and tell him she was sorry she hadn't been able to contact him. Anderson was looking right at her, so she lowered her eyes to the floor guiltily. "Come on Shepard, the council will be anxious to hear what you have to say," he motioned with his arm.

The council seemed scared and wanted answers. Shepard could only tell them that there was no way of defeating the Reapers alone. Runners kept coming in to bring up to date information. "We've just lost contact with Luna Base," one of the committee members frowned at the datapad he'd been handed.

"Nothing from Admiral Hackett?" Anderson asked. "They can't be that close already?"

Shepard began to feel fear creeping into her stomach instead of joy at seeing Kaidan. A Reaper invasion had always seemed so far away, if it was really here, she didn't know what she could do to help. Another runner ran in with a datapad in her hand. "We are receiving a transmission from UK headquarters," the woman said.

"Put it on the vid screen," another committee member asked.

The woman turned on the console and linked the video onto the large screen. The transmission was only static for a moment, but she cleared it up. As soon as Shepard saw the Reapers in the distance of the live video feed, her stomach dropped. "Oh god," she said to herself, her knees starting to get weak. She closed her eyes and bit her lip hard. She noticed the light from the windows suddenly dim and turned around to see Reaper ships converging onto the city in the distance.

"Maker help us!" one of the committee members shrieked and passed out.

Shepard felt helpless and frozen as the Reapers began to attack right in front of her eyes. A large destroyer began firing towards the building before Shepard could even react. Its beam burst through the windows and catapulted the wooden council dais towards her. She ducked but the force threw her into the hall. She hit hard and lost consciousness for a moment, waking up with her ears ringing and her head pounding. The room was full of smoke and dust from the blast. She tried to get up but she felt dizzy and fell back down, blacking out again.


	93. Courage in Retreat

Shepard woke up with Admiral Anderson shaking her. She was confused for a moment then remembered the Reaper attack. Everything had happened so fast, her brain still wasn't processing it right. She'd gone into survival mode and nothing else mattered. Anderson helped her up as she coughed from the smoke-filled air. The committee chambers were in ruins. "Come on, Shepard we have to get out here," Anderson said, breaking open a nearby gun locker. He pulled two pistols out and handed one to Shepard.

Shepard's head was pounding and she reached up to feel a little spot of blood on her forehead. "What the hell are we going to do?" she asked, wiping the blood away.

"We need to get to the Normandy. If we can leave orbit we can get to the Citadel and convince the Council to help," Anderson replied.

"The Normandy is here on Earth?" Shepard wondered, following Anderson through the rubble.

"The Alliance confiscated it after you surrendered. It was being retrofitted to serve as my mobile command base."

"You came out of retirement to get your ship back," Shepard tried to make a joke. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down. They made their way to the gaping hole the Reaper had left and could see the rest of the city under attack.

"I'm sure and the hell glad it is here. If we have any chance of reaching the Citadel, the Normandy will get us there. Major Alenko, is that you?" He stopped and held his hand over his ear. "I am having trouble hearing you. Where are you?"

Shepard could only hear the feedback from Anderson's ear piece. "What did they say, are they alright?"

"Get to the Normandy, we are headed that way as well," Anderson said. "What's that, I couldn't hear you? Damn it! I can't get anything, the signal is too bad."

"Where's Kaidan?" Shepard swallowed hard.

"He and Lt. Vega had gone down to the cafeteria, they are closer to the Normandy than us. We need to find a radio so we can signal the ship," Anderson replied.

Shepard was relieved to hear Kaidan and James were alright. Shepard couldn't help but smile that Kaidan's appetite had probably saved his life. If he'd remained in the hall, he probably would've gotten hit by the Reaper's beam. "Come on, let's try to get to that downed gunship," Anderson pointed. "There has to be a radio in it."

They jumped down into the courtyard adjacent to the committee chambers and quickly ran across to the next building. As Anderson tried to open the door, Shepard heard a noise and went to investigate. The sound was coming from a heating vent, so she ducked and quickly pointed her gun inside. The child that was playing in the courtyard was huddled inside. "What are you doing in here? Where are your parents?" Shepard asked, lowering her pistol. The child said nothing and just stared at her. "Come on out of there, we will try to find you someplace safe," she asked before Anderson called her name. "There is a kid in here," Shepard yelled and turned back to the child.

He had disappeared from the vent and Shepard blinked her eyes. He couldn't have gotten out of the vent so fast and she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her. "What did you say?" Anderson asked.

"Never mind," Shepard shook her head. "Did you get the door open?"

"Yeah, there is an access ladder that will get us down to the bay."

Shepard followed him out and climbed down the ladder to the docks below. Some of the docks had sunk, so they had to slosh through water to make their way to the gunship. "This happened so fast. And look, they are tearing right through us." Anderson complained, climbing up a bit of debris.

"I thought I'd delayed them by destroying the Alpha Relay. A lot of good that did. Six months and here they are again," Shepard groaned. Her left leg was starting to grow stiff. She'd injured it sometime during the Reaper blast and it was getting hard to walk quickly.

"Yeah, but we are better off than we were six months ago. Not everyone doubted you, you know."

Shepard heard a voice yell an Alliance signal to identify friendly or foe and stopped. "Friendlies!" Anderson answered back, as two heads popped out from some debris.

"Admiral," one of the men saluted and helped Anderson over the rubble.

"Are you two from the gunship?" Anderson asked.

"Yeah, we got taken down pretty fast. I was able to drag Stanley out, but no one else made it," the officer replied.

"I can't feel my legs," Lt. Stanley groaned.

"We are trying to radio our ship. Do you think the radio still works in that thing?" Anderson asked.

"Should be. We got hit in the rudder, so most of the damage was confined to the back of the ship."

"Stay here, we will come back," Anderson promised.

"Take this," Lt. Stanley said, handing Shepard his assault rifle. "There were things coming towards the ship when we got out."

Shepard took the gun and followed Anderson, who was already heading to the gunship. "There are hundreds more of those men. Dead or dying. Damn this," Anderson swore. He rushed quickly ahead as Shepard's leg continued to slow her.

They soon found the creatures the soldiers were talking about. There were husks among them, but most were more hideous. They had the grafted weapons like the Scions Shepard had seen on the Reaper ship, but they were different. More Reaper abominations flew over their heads as they tried to kill what was in front of them. "What the hell are those things?" Anderson ducked, as the Harvesters dropped more husks near them.

"They look like Harvesters. I saw them on Tuchanka, but nothing like that. The Reapers must have done something to them."

"Probably the same thing they did to those cannibals," Anderson motioned his head towards the enemies in cover. "Didn't they look like Batarians to you?"

"Yeah," Shepard shook her head. "Khar'Shan was likely the first planet the Reapers hit and this is what they did to the Batarian forces. No wonder all their comm traffic died."

They cut through the debris and made their way to the downed gunship. Anderson got on the radio and called the Normandy. "I've activated the distress beacon, they'll be here soon," he said to Shepard.

"What about those men? We need to go get them," Shepard replied.

"I'll get them help, I need you back on the Normandy."

"And what about you? You can't think of staying here?'

"That is exactly what I am thinking. These men need help and we need someone to coordinate a ground team. I will gather the survivors together and keep you informed."

"Look at this place David," Shepard said, breaking protocol to call him by his first name. "You can't survive for long here. I need you on the Normandy."

"You've always been fine on your own. Besides, you've got Major Alenko at your side again, you two seem to work well together. I expect you to keep things, professional when on duty."

"I never expected it," Shepard looked to see the Normandy closing in on them. It was a happy sight to see her old ship. "I love him, but I will always put duty first."

"And I know he will do the same. Do me proud Commander," he shook her hand.

"I'm just a civilian now," Shepard corrected him.

"I kept these with me. Just in case," he pulled her dog tags out of his pocket. "Welcome back Commander."

"Does this mean I get paid again, sir?" Shepard smirked a little and took the tags from him. She had to yell over the Normandy's engines, but she wished him luck. Kaidan stood waiting at the cargo bay doors to help them in. He held his hand out to Shepard and pulled her up.

"Come on Admiral," he reached out his hand.

"I am staying ground side. You and Shepard need to convince the Council to send help. I'll try to contact you when I can," Anderson waved him off.

"You'll need this," Shepard replied, tossing him the assault rifle. She turned around to call Joker.

"How can you let him do that?" Kaidan followed her in. "We are leaving him to die."

"It is his choice," Shepard replied and unbuckled the flack jacket James had given her. "Besides, he is right, we need a strong leader on the ground to help with resistance."

"Can't let who do what?" James asked. "Where is Admiral Anderson?"

"Ground side," Shepard replied. "Joker, is that you up there? They keep letting you fly this thing?" Shepard radioed to the bridge.

"It's me. Is everyone aboard?" Joker asked.

"Yes, get us out of orbit and head for the Citadel. I'd like to see the Council ignore this."

"We can't just leave Anderson down there!" James interrupted. "Let me off, I will go get him."

"It is his call and you better check your tone with me Lieutenant!" Shepard yelled back. Everything was hitting her at once and she felt only anger. She still held her dog tags in her hand and felt them digging into her palm. She slammed her flack jacket on the floor and James gave her a dirty look and stormed off.

"You look like hell Shepard, maybe you should take a shower and get some rest," Kaidan suggested, seeing her shaking with anger and frustration. She had blood running down her face and was covered in scratches and soot.

"Is that an order Major?" Shepard snapped back, her emotions still running hot.

"Shepard, I didn't," Kaidan said before Shepard interrupted, instantly regretful at lashing out at him.

"I didn't mean to snap at you, I just," she sighed and closed her eyes, gritting through her anger. "We are already losing. I thought we had more time."

"I know you are frustrated Shepard. We will be at the Citadel soon. The Council can't deny the Reapers now."

Shepard nodded and rode the elevator up to her cabin. All her fish were gone, as well as her ship models. Lt. Fuzzypants was also missing from his cage. 'He probably died too,' she frowned. Everything felt hopeless and she just wanted to sink down on the floor and sob. She'd been waiting for this day to come and thought she had mentally prepared herself, but she felt utterly drained.

She stripped off her clothes and tossed them onto her desk carelessly. Her leg still ached, but the hot water seemed to soothe it a little. She washed all the grit from her hair and lingered under the hot stream, leaning against the wall. She already felt defeated, seeing the burning fleets of the Alliance when she closed her eyes. She wanted to cry, but her anger wouldn't let her.

She finally grabbed one of the neatly folded towels and padded out of the bathroom with it wrapped around her wet hair. She was startled to see Kaidan sitting down in the lounge, waiting for her. He blushed slightly at her naked body, so she pulled the towel around her torso. "Hi," she said softly, coming down the steps.

"I know this isn't the best time, but I thought we should talk." He sat with her Silver Heart sitting on his knee. "If, we're going to be working together again."

"I tried to contact you when we came back through the Omega-4 relay, but your address had changed. I didn't want to you think," Shepard trailed off as she sat down.

"Liara let me know you were alright and Anderson told me about your, incarceration."

"How long have you been on Earth for?"

"Only a week. They called me to testify about what I knew about the Reapers, and you. I wanted to come see you, but they wouldn't allow visitors."

"Kaidan, I'm sorry for leaving without," Shepard said before she was interrupted by Joker.

"Commander, Admiral Hackett is on the comm." Joker announced.

Shepard left the couch and went to her terminal. "Patch him in up here," Shepard replied back, still looking down at Kaidan through the glass.

"Shepard, glad to hear you got out. What about Admiral Anderson, anyone from the Defense Committee?" Hackett asked.

"No one from the Committee survived. The Reapers attacked the building like they knew we were in there. Admiral Anderson decided to stay behind and coordinate the resistance force."

"Good, we need a strong leader down there. I've already contacted the Citadel, they know about the attacks, but they are still dragging their feet. I need you to confront them in person."

"The Normandy is heading to the Citadel now."

"I need you to stop by the Mars Archives on your way. Your former squadmate Dr. T'soni has been doing research there. I haven't heard from her and wanted to make sure everything is okay. She may have found something to use against the Reapers."

"Liara? What is she doing on Mars?"

"She wanted to look through the Prothean archives for any information on the Reapers. We can only hope she found something."

"I will change course right away."

"Good luck Shepard."

Shepard closed the comm and called down to Joker to head to Mars instead. She readjusted her towel before she returned down to the lounge. "Well, it sounds like we've got more important things to do. We'll have to talk later," he took her Silver Heart off his knee and set it on the table.

"I want you to keep up," she slid it back towards him.


	94. Red Storm

The flight to Mars was short, giving Kaidan and Shepard barely enough time to get changed into their armor. James was still sulking in the cargo bay, but climbed to his feet when Shepard entered. "What do we hope to find on Mars, ma'am?" James asked.

"An old friend may have information on how to stop the Reapers," Shepard replied. "Joker, anything from the facility?" Shepard called up to the bridge.

"I got nothing, we are just entering the atmosphere now. I will do a fly over first." Joker replied.

"Let's get the shuttle ready. You've had flight training, right Vega?" Shepard asked. After her drive on Illium, Shepard thought it better that someone else took the helm.

"Yes, ma'am," James nodded.

They climbed into the new Kodiak and waited for Joker to open the cargo bay doors. "Still nothing from the facility and there are some vehicles parked in the landing pad," Joker radioed. "You will have to land a little ways away."

James eased the shuttle out and found an empty patch of dusty land to set down on. "Commander, there is a storm coming. We should be able to get inside before it hits." James called back while unstrapping himself.

Shepard opened the door to a visor full of red dust. "Yeah, that storm is coming fast," Shepard radioed. "Let's move quickly."

"The storm couldn't have taken down all their communication, right?" Kaidan followed her out. "We should have heard something."

"No sign of Reapers here," Shepard replied. "Maybe they are having power problems."

They climbed down the ridge they'd landed on top and found a body next to a few cargo crates. "He's Alliance," Kaidan bent down to check the man's dog tags. "He's been shot, it wasn't the elements that killed him."

"What the hell is going on here?" Shepard took the tags from him. She heard the distant sound of gunfire even through her suit. "Someone else is shooting, come on." She pulled the Alliance standard sniper rifle off her back. She missed having her own guns, but these would suit her for now.

She stayed low and moved towards the landing pad at the edge of the facility. She could see movement ahead and stopped her squad. Peeking through her scope, she saw a group of men standing around a single Alliance soldier. The group had the Cerberus insignia painted on their shoulders. One of the Cerberus soldiers raised a pistol and shot the Alliance man before Shepard could react. "Damn it, they are executing them, open fire!" Shepard yelled, hitting the shooter with a single shot in the neck. He was fully armored but the shot penetrated his armor and dropped him in an instant.

The other troops scrambled to cover while Shepard and her men took advantage of the ambush point. It was only a small squad and Shepard had caught them off guard, so they were easy to dispatch. "These were Cerberus men," Kaidan looked over at Shepard after examining the bodies.

"Why are you looking at me?" Shepard asked.

"Well, you used to work for them."

"I didn't work for them Kaidan. I took their money, their ship, and their crew. I have no idea why they are here now."

Kaidan didn't say anything, but still stared at her. Shepard was irritated, but it wasn't the place for an argument. They moved forward and found the vehicles blocking the landing pad. There were three small trucks and a small patrol among them. The patrol was waiting for them this time, so the fight drew itself out as the winds began to kick up more dust. It was making visibility hard, but the Cerberus troops were impatient and frequently left cover, leaving them open to fire.

"How did Cerberus manage to take over this entire facility? The most those trucks carry is fifty. This place has to have security," James noted.

"Maybe there was someone on the inside," Kaidan noted. Shepard didn't like his tone, but ignored him.

They found the elevator to the station entrance and waited for pressurization. "Shepard, I need to know about Cerberus. Why are they doing this?" Kaidan asked. "If I am going into battle with you, I need to know someone isn't waiting to shoot me in the back."

"Are you saying I would shoot you in the back?" Shepard turned to him, taken aback by his accusation.

"No, I didn't mean that. I just, how could you have trusted these people."

"I never trusted them and I don't think this is the time to argue about it, Major," Shepard snarled.

"When is it going to be the time?"

"When the galaxy isn't under attack! I, can we just drop it for now!" She was frustrated and didn't want to take her anger out on him, but he was making it difficult.

Kaidan remained quiet and turned off his breather mask when the room had pressurized. "I can hear more gunfire from above," James reloaded his rifle as the elevator began to move up.

"Let's move towards the back so we don't end up in the middle of a firefight," Shepard said, taking a step back.

They crouched at the far end of the elevator as the entered the facility proper. The room was full of supplies, which had been tossed about. Liara stood protecting herself with a barrier, as a pair of Cerberus troops fired at her. She cast her biotics outward and flipped the two men over, as Shepard fired a few rounds at them. Liara turned around, surprised to see friendly allies. "Shepard!"

"Liara, what the hell is going on?" Shepard stood up and walked over to greet her.

"It's Cerberus. I don't know how they got in, but they've killed almost everyone."

"What are they here for? This can't be just about revenge for attacking some of their facilities?"

"I think they are here for what Admiral Hackett must have sent you for. The plans for the device that could defeat the Reapers."

"Why would they need that?" Kaidan asked.

"I don't know." Liara paused. "It is good to see you Major Alenko."

"Liara, this is Lieutenant James Vega. He, he was my bodyguard for a while," Shepard introduced James.

"Yes, I read your dossier," Liara nodded.

"Liara is an information broker, James. She probably knows everything about you," Shepard punched him on the arm.

"I'm an open book," James smirked.

"Do you have these plans? We've got the shuttle outside?" Shepard asked.

"No, the plans are still in the archives. I didn't get a chance to download them before Cerberus attacked. They will be trying to get there."

"God damn it, what is the Illusive Man up to?" Shepard swore. "James, I need you to go back to the shuttle. We can't get pinned down here once that storm hits. I need you to stay in contact with the Normandy."

"Shouldn't I stay here, ma'am?" James asked.

"We'll be fine. Like you said, there can't be more than fifty here. We'll head towards the archives. Keep the shuttle in the air as long as you can. "

James didn't look happy but he obeyed Shepard's orders and went back down the elevator. "How did this truck get in here. It doesn't have any damage. Someone from the inside must have let them in?" Shepard asked, noticing another Cerberus truck parked inside.

"When Cerberus got in so easily, I suspected a mole. But I have no idea who it could be. Come on, we will need to go across the pedway to get to the archives. There should be a security station here." Liara walked towards a security office. Shepard and Kaidan followed her inside. "Damn it," she swore when she got to the terminal. "Cerberus has tampered with security, they've locked the pedway."

"Is there a way around it?" Shepard asked, checking all the soldiers that were in the room. Cerberus had executed them all nearly point blank.

"There is construction here," Liara pointed. "That might get us there. But we will have to go outside."

"Hopefully that storm hasn't hit yet," Kaidan added. "This console has security footage on it. We might be able to find out more about how Cerberus got in."

As they watched the footage, they saw a woman walking passed a security console. "Who is that?" Shepard asked.

"Dr. Eva Coré. She just got here a week ago." Liara replied.

"Remember that Asari that tried to kill us on Noveria? Seems a little too convenient to be transferred here a week before an attack."

"I suppose so. Come on, I've got the inner airlock doors open."

They followed Liara to the airlock and reactivated their breather masks. The storm outside was right on top of them and they had to stick to the railing to keep from blowing over. "Lt. Vega, can you read me? How is the storm where you are?" Shepard tried to check in with James. The shuttle radio cut in and out, so Shepard couldn't hear a word. "The storm is too bad. We are going to have to find a way to boost our signal if we are going to get the radio working again."

"That tram there, that will take us to the archives. Hopefully Cerberus hasn't shut it down." Liara pointed.

"I can see movement in there," Shepard looked through her scope. "Let's get there fast before they think to do it."

They hurried towards the other airlock but found it already open. "This door shouldn't be open," Liara stepped cautiously inside.

"Maybe Cerberus was just careless," Shepard went to the inner airlock control panel. She shut the doors behind them but the room didn't pressurize. "There is no air in there. I can override the inner airlock doors, but Cerberus has done something to the controls."

As they stepped inside, they found the building shrouded in darkness. "Looks like the power is out too," Kaidan noted. They turned the lights on their weapons and proceeded inside. The room looked untouched from any enemy fire, but Shepard spotted a body in her flashlight. She knelt down to check the man. "These people weren't shot, but look at their faces. Someone opened the airlock with them inside."

"They suffocated them, god, they're monsters," Kaidan replied solemnly. "There are more over here."

"Let's move. I want every Cerberus troop on this base dead," Shepard frowned at the horrific expression on the dead man's face


	95. Race to the Archives

Shepard left the suffocated bodies and led her squad downstairs. More bodies could be seen in the glimmer of their flashlights. They were slumped at tables with their lunches still on them. The shutters along the cafeteria windows began to open, so they ducked for cover. Shepard peeked up to see a few Cerberus troops looking out. "Do you think that glass is breakable?" Shepard whispered to Liara.

"More than likely," Liara replied.

"Stay down," Shepard ordered and pulled out a sticky grenade. She quickly threw it towards the windows and ducked back down.

The blast shattered most of the glass and killed one of the Cerberus troops, while the rest panicked. They made easy targets as they tried to find cover under the low wall. The doors to the other room were locked down, so they had to climb through the windows and over the troops they have just killed. "We'll need to pressurize this room to get to the archives," Liara walked towards another security station.

"How many people were at this facility?" Shepard asked.

"Thirty scientists and researchers. I don't know how many Alliance soldiers. When I contacted Admiral Hackett, I never expected to get so much support."

"I'm glad someone was trying to do some good while I was locked up. I only hope everyone else from the Normandy is doing the same." Shepard replied.

"I know Garrus returned to Palaven. My information says he was setting up a task force of some sort. It will be good if we can get the Turians on our side," Liara replied, typing at the security terminal.

"It looks like the soldier here was making a call. He's been shot, not suffocated." Kaidan noticed. He replayed the archived video footage from the terminal. "There," he paused the video. "Dr. Coré shot him."

"So Dr. Coré was the mole," Shepard frowned and looked at the still frame of Dr. Coré shooting the man.

"She was the obvious choice. Why didn't I see it?" Liara chastised herself. "I passed her right before the attack. I could have stopped her."

"You couldn't have known," Shepard replied. "You've done a lot to help. Without these plans, we'd probably be doomed."

"What if we are still doomed? We don't even know what the device does. I don't know how you stay so positive, Shepard. You've just seen the home world of your species ravaged in an instant."

"I've got too much to live for to give up," Shepard glanced over at Kaidan. He smiled but lowered his eyes.

"That should do it. We've still got one more section to pass through before we get to the tram station," Liara added.

They continued on and found more Cerberus troops in their way. Some had thick shields that protected them, but Shepard's steady sniping went right through the shield's view slot for precise head shots. "Well, I am glad you haven't lost your touch, Commander." Kaidan raised an eyebrow at her. "Did they let you take target practice in lockup?"

"Lt. Vega stuck me in a dartboard," Shepard smirked.

They stopped in a seemingly empty hallway to get their bearings, but were immediately fired upon by a large defense turret. Kaidan had to push Shepard down to avoid getting hit. "That thing would have been in perfect position to stop Cerberus from getting in, if the Alliance soldiers had kept control of it. I imagine Dr. Coré had something to do with that," Shepard said, crawling along the floor to reach cover.

"It sounds like it reloads every minute. That is our only chance to get past it," Kaidan yelled back, as his position was pelted with fire.

They waited for the gun to reload before rushing forward and taking cover. They had to keep holding and run until they got past the gun's firing range. There were more troops in the office behind the turret, but they soon fell from gunfire or the squads biotic talents. "The tram entrance is just down there, but they've just locked it. If only we'd gotten here a few minutes sooner," Liara slammed her fist angrily against the desk.

"There isn't another way to get there?" Shepard asked.

"No. The tram is the only way."

"Shit," Shepard sighed and sat down in one of the chairs. They were all quiet for a moment as they contemplated the situation.

"These guys have to use radios. We could pretend to be Cerberus and tell them that we killed the intruders," Kaidan finally suggested. "We could tell them we need to rejoin them."

"Do you think that will work?" Liara wondered.

"I don't have any better ideas," Shepard shrugged. "Check their bodies for radios."

Shepard stood up and bent over one of the dead commandos and tried prying off his helmet, but it wouldn't budge. "Geez, is this thing welded on?" Shepard continued to pull before her fingers slipped.

"Here," Kaidan called. "This one's face plate comes off."

The face plate clattered to the ground and Kaidan jumped back. "These aren't, human soldiers. They, they look like husks. They've had cybernetics grafted to them," Kaidan stepped back and turned to Shepard. "Cerberus didn't do anything like this to you, did they?"

"How can you say that? Do I look anything like this?" Shepard replied, pointing at the man's face.

"I, I don't know what to think, you still haven't given me a straight answer. You told me you were dead, then alive. What am I supposed to think?"

"What am I supposed to say Kaidan? Cerberus rebuilt me to stop the Collectors. I don't what they did, but I know I am still human. After I blew up the Collector base, I told the Illusive Man to fuck off. I don't know why you don't believe me?"

"It's not that I don't believe you, I just, I need time to process all this." He turned away from her and sighed. "That night," he paused and checked to make sure Liara wasn't listening. "That night on the Citadel, I thought we'd put everything in the past, but I was fooling myself. You felt, different. And then you disappeared again. I still don't know who you are."

"Kaidan," Shepard touched his back and stepped closer to him. "I'm still me. I had to leave because I couldn't bear to tell you goodbye. I wouldn't have been able to leave."

"I want to believe you Shepard, but," he turned around and held his face close to hers. "I have to know you are still the woman I fell in love with."

"Kaidan, if Earth wasn't on fire, you'd be tied to a bed right now. That hasn't changed," Shepard smiled a little and stood on her toes to kiss him.

"Have you found a radio?' Liara asked, coming into the room and interrupting them. She cast her eyes down in embarrassment, then saw the trooper's face and gasped. "What did they do to that man?"

"The Illusive Man has never been shy about using technology to help with human evolution." Shepard pulled away from Kaidan, giving him a glance that said 'we'll finish this later.' "He was running an experiment where a living man was forced to tap into the Geth collective. He nearly went mad and killed a lot of people by mistake."

"Archer, the savant?" Kaidan asked. "I spent some time at Grissom Academy and met him."

"Yes. We destroyed the lab and got him to the Alliance," Shepard replied. "This just means the Illusive Man has gotten more desperate. He wanted to save the Collector Base to scrap it for technology. I don't want to think about what else he is up to."

Kaidan pried the radio from the man's suit and handed it to Shepard. "Here, you might be more convincing," he said.

"Hello?" Shepard spoke into the radio. "The intruders have been neutralized. You need to send the tram back so we can regroup."

"Who is this? Report in," a voice on the other end asked in an annoyed tone.

"You know who this is, quit breaking my balls. Just send the fucking tram or I'll have the Illusive Man graft your face to your ass," Shepard replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"We're sending a team," the voice replied and cut off.

"Do you think it worked?" Liara asked.

"It looks like the tram is moving again," Shepard pointed. "Let's set up an ambush. We will blow our cover once they've seen us."

"Graft your face to your ass?" Kaidan laughed and gave Shepard's shoulder a squeeze. "I wouldn't have come up with anything better."

They ran down to the tram terminal and took defensive positions. Shepard placed another sticky grenade on a remote timer just outside the doors. When the Cerberus troops got out, the grenade exploded, killing two and injuring a third. The rest fell to gunfire from Shepard's team, the open tram car providing little cover for the Cerberus troops. Shepard stepped over the bodies and reset the tram to return to the archives. "Once we get to the archives we will need to try to contact Lt. Vega again. Liara, try to boost our signal on they way," Shepard ordered.

The tram moved forward but suddenly stopped halfway through, knocking them to the ground as it jerked to a stop. "Looks like they didn't believe us after all," Shepard climbed to her feet and looked at the dead controls. Cerberus had left a pulse grenade to disable the tram from returning. "What now?" she asked, peering over the side to see the ground very far below.

"We've got more incoming!" Kaidan yelled, pointing with his gun towards the other tram car coming from the archives. "Looks like another small squad."

"And the rest are probably waiting at the other end. Time your shots, I am running low on heat clips," Shepard replied. She loaded her sniper rifle and picked off a few men before the tram closed in on them.

What glass was left in the tram windows was quickly shattered on top of Shepard and her team. Nonetheless, the small Cerberus squad was underpowered and died quickly. Shepard forced open the emergency door and peeked at the gap across to the other operational tram. "We are going to have to jump over to the other car. It is a long way down," Kaidan said, coming up next to her. His hand lingered on her hip for a moment to reassure himself.

"You aren't afraid of heights are you?" Shepard smiled at him.

"Only when there is a chance I might fall to my death. I'll go first," he said, putting his rifle away. He took a few steps back and jumped over, landing well into the car. "Come on," he motioned with his arms.

Shepard jumped and barely reached the door, Kaidan grabbing onto her immediately. "Thanks Major," she smiled again and gave him a little squeeze.

Liara floated over with ease using her biotics. "Cerberus will be waiting for us," she said. "We will be walking straight into an ambush."

"We don't have much choice," Shepard replied, biting her lip as she thought of a plan. She only had two grenades left and doubted she could throw them when the doors opened without getting hit. "If I left this grenade on the floor, theoretically one of you could throw it out without exposing yourself?"

"Yes, either of us would be able to do it," Liara replied.

"I've got two. Send one out immediately after the doors open. We'll wait on the other one. Use tech and biotics if you can, but stay down. If we prop up one of these bodies at the controls, maybe they will think their squad is coming back and we can catch them a little off guard."

Shepard and Kaidan pulled one of the bodies toward the tram controls and leaned it against the wall. "His armor is keeping his upper body stiff, but his legs won't hold," Kaidan groaned, trying to hold the man up.

"Someone will have to kneel behind his legs to keep him upright," Shepard replied. Neither of them answered, assuming she had volunteered. "Oh come on," Shepard asked.

"It's your plan Commander," Kaidan smiled a little bit. He held the man in place as Shepard crouched and pressed all her weight against him.

"Let's get moving, this guy weighs a ton," Shepard grumbled. Kaidan started the tram again and ducked down across from Shepard.

Cerberus was waiting on the other side, but they didn't fire when the saw the guard standing at the controls. "Where's the rest of your team?" Shepard heard someone ask, before she nodded at Liara.

Liara sent the grenade out into the middle of the group, detonating with more force due to the biotics around it. The rest of the men remained in their fortified positions, giving Shepard and her team few chances to take shots. Shepard grew impatient exchanging potshots and decided on a more risky plan. "Break down their barricades with your biotics," Shepard yelled, sending an incineration blast into a flammable barrel of tram chain lubricant. The explosion took down a few more men and broke down one of the barricades they had set up.

Shepard ran out of ammo and decided to try her hand to hand skills. She activated her tactical cloak and crept out of the tram as Kaidan and Liara provided cover fire. She caught a few more guards with her omni-blade and relieved them of their weapons. When all the Cerberus troops were dead, they headed into the archives. There were no visible troops inside, but Shepard sent Kaidan to do a sweep anyway.

She approached the archives with Liara, who began trying to look for the data. As Shepard waited, the holographic interface next to the archive terminals suddenly turned on. "When Dr. Coré said an Alliance patrol was trying to infiltrate the base, I wondered if it might be you Shepard," the Illusive Man said. "Though I hoped you'd still be on Earth."

"Why? So the Reapers could kill me before you get the chance? I saw what you've done to your men, you are just as bad as they are," Shepard turned towards the interface and glared at him.

"I am trying to understand the Reapers. Your primitive brain can only comprehend destroying them."

"Saren Arterius tried to understand them too, tried to reason with them. Thought he'd made a deal with them before he blew his own brains out. Is that what they promised you too?" Shepard wondered.

"You know nothing about what I've done. I did the things that had to be done, to keep humanity at the top."

"By implanting them with Reaper technology? I thought you were insane when you wanted to keep the Collector base, but this just takes the cake."

"And that was a mistake that I have already remedied. What Dr. T'Soni has found in the archives will be the key to controlling the Reapers. By harnessing their power, there is no one in the galaxy who can think to threaten us."

"Or so you think. How do you not know you are indoctrinated? Maybe that is just what the Reapers want you to believe. You are nothing but a pawn."

"This is beyond your understanding. I am not going to sit here and argue with you. You served your purpose, but your time is up."

"Is that a threat?" Shepard narrowed her eyes.

"It is a warning. Stay out of my way Shepard."

"Shepard, the blueprints are gone, someone must have taken them," Liara turned to her.

"Goodbye Shepard," the Illusive Man smiled and closed the hologram.

"Where are they?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know. Someone is downloading them from another terminal, I can't get access," Liara replied.

"Hey, over here!" Kaidan yelled, pointing his gun. "Put your hands up!"

"What going on?" Shepard asked, walking towards him.

She saw a leg kick him in the chest and knock him down. The figure sprung out of the alcove and run towards Shepard. It was Dr. Coré and she ran straight into Shepard, knocking her down as well. "She must have the data!" Liara yelled, trying to hit Dr. Coré with a stasis field to no avail.

"We have to catch her," Shepard yelled as Kaidan helped her to her feet. She ran back towards the tram terminal where Dr. Coré had disappeared. She found the doctor at the airlock, trying to get the door open. "Stop now," Shepard yelled, firing at the doctor's feet.

Dr. Coré didn't turn around, but fired her SMG blinding at Shepard and darted through the airlock as soon as it opened. "Damn it!" Shepard yelled and activated her breather mask. She ran after the doctor, but couldn't keep up with her pace. The storm was blowing against her and slowed her down, but Dr. Coré seemed unaffected by it. "James? Can you read me?" Shepard panted as she saw a Cerberus shuttle attempting to pick up Dr. Coré.

"Commander," James radioed through a lot of static. "I'm having trouble keeping her in the air."

"There is a Cerberus shuttle, don't let it leave," she coughed, her lungs aching from running too fast.

Men from the shuttle began shooting at her, so she had to duck into cover. They pulled Dr. Coré aboard and quickly flew away. "Damn it!" Shepard swore and fruitlessly fired her pistol towards the shuttle as it disappeared into the red dust above her.

"I've got it Commander," James radioed back as she heard a loud crash.

The Cerberus shuttle reappeared through the dust, spinning out of control right towards her. She tried to back up, but stumbled and felt the shuttle crash behind her. She climbed to her feet slowly, covered in debris from the crashed ship. "Shepard!" Kaidan called, running to her side.

"I'm fine," Shepard waved him off. "Vega, what the hell was that?" Shepard radioed.

"You said not to let it leave. This thing doesn't have guns on it. I am trying to find a landing zone now," James radioed back.

"Dr. Coré was in the shuttle, we still need to get the data out," Shepard looked towards the flaming wreck.

"I'll get it," Liara turned towards the shuttle.

"Sit down, we'll get it." Kaidan motioned to Shepard and followed Liara.

The ruined door on the shuttle burst off suddenly and what remained of Dr. Coré emerged. Her suit and flesh had been burned off, revealing the metallic skeleton of an advanced mech underneath. "Liara, look out," Kaidan grabbed Liara, as the mech jumped out.

The mech kicked Kaidan again and pulled him up by the throat. "Put him down!" Shepard sprung forward with her gun drawn. She had only three rounds left before overheat.

"What should I do with this one?" Dr. Coré asked, activating her omni-tool comm.

"I said put him down!" Shepard yelled.

"That's not what the Illusive Man wants," Dr. Coré's lips turned to a smug smile. She swung Kaidan around and slammed his head into the crashed shuttle.

"No!" Shepard screamed and fired three shots into the mech's back. Dr. Coré struggled, but slammed Kaidan into the shuttle again. Shepard ran forward and dove at the doctor, beating the back of her head with the butt of her pistol. She didn't stop until the pistol had cracked and the mech was motionless. "Kaidan!" Shepard cried as she pushed the mech aside and knelt over him. She scanned him with her omni-tool and made sure he was still breathing. "Damn it Kaidan, get up!"

"Commander, that storm is right on top of us. If we don't get out now," James ran up behind her, before Shepard interrupted him.

"Help me god damn it!" she screamed as her throat tightened. James knelt down to help her, but she pushed him away. "I will take him. Grab that mech, I am going to pull it apart piece by piece," Shepard ordered and wrapped Kaidan's arm around her shoulder. She leveraged all her weight onto her legs and picked him up with all her effort. She stumbled towards the shuttle door and collapsed inside, carefully setting Kaidan down.

She pulled off her helmet as soon as James sealed the shuttle door behind him. "Get us back to the Normandy, now," Shepard yelled, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Shepard," Liara touched her shoulder.

"Help me get his helmet off," Shepard sniffled, her voice frantic.

"We shouldn't move him anymore until we get him into the med bay," Liara pulled Shepard's arm away from his helmet.

"No, I want to see him," Shepard said, beginning to tremble as she cried.

"You can't Shepard, we have to stabilize him first. Look at me Shepard." Liara grabbed Shepard's shoulders and pulled her away. "It is okay to be alright.


	96. After the Storm

Shepard sat in the eerily silent medical bay, staring at Kaidan's lifeless body. She could see his chest slowly rising and falling, but it didn't make her feel any better. They'd gotten Kaidan on a stretcher and taken him to the med bay, where Liara had helped stabilize him. She'd left Shepard alone so she could sit with him. Shepard felt sick to her stomach and had to retch into an empty trash bin once or twice. She'd always kept herself distanced from people in order to avoid feeling their loss, but she needed Kaidan in her life. She closed her eyes tightly and finally let tears slip down her face.

James entered the med bay and cleared his throat softly. "Commander, Admiral Hackett is calling on the comm."

"Just tell him we got the plans and we are heading to the Citadel," she replied listlessly and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. James made no reply, but left the med bay as quietly as he'd come in. Shepard didn't know how long she'd been sitting before Liara came in.

"Shepard," Liara said softly. "You need to sleep."

"Not until we get him to a hospital," Shepard replied, rubbing her eyes.

"Please Shepard, you are no good to anyone if you aren't rested. I will sit with him."

"I'll sleep down here," Shepard mumbled, sliding onto the table next to his. She tried to close her eyes, but the thought of waking up to find him dead made her stomach ache. Liara brought a blanket to cover her and sat in the chair Shepard had been in.

"He'll get better, I know it. He is a strong man," Liara tried to sound hopeful.

"If anything changes, wake me up."

Shepard didn't realize how tired she was until she woke up after falling dead asleep. Liara had dozed off as well, but Kaidan's vitals were still strong. Shepard got up slowly, trying not to wake Liara and went to the comm. "Joker, where are we?" Shepard asked quietly.

"We are half an hour from the Citadel," Joker replied, loud enough to wake Liara.

"As soon as you contact docking, tell them we have a medical emergency."

"Aye-aye, Commander."

"Did you sleep much?" Liara asked.

"A little," Shepard went to Kaidan's bed and stroked his hair.

"The doctors at the Citadel are the best," Liara looked over Kaidan. "He'll get through this."

Shepard waited at Kaidan's side until the medical team from the Citadel boarded. They hurried Kaidan out, with Shepard following close behind. "Is he going to be alright? When will he wake up? Where are you taking him?" Shepard asked, as the doctors looked him over while they walked.

"Huerta Memorial, just above the Presidium," one of the assistants replied.

The doctors and assistants seemed to ignore the rest of Shepard's questions and left her in the waiting room when they took him into surgery. She stood in the waiting room for a while in a daze before Liara called on her omni-tool. "I''m sorry to interrupt, but the Council is expecting you. How is Major Alenko?"

"They've taken him into surgery. I don't know what is going on." Shepard replied.

"I can delay the Council for a little while, if you like?"

"No, I'll be there as soon as I can," Shepard sighed. She could do nothing more for Kaidan but worry.

She hailed a cab to take her to the embassies. She glanced at her reflection in the glass and tried to smooth down her unkept hair. Her eyes were still red, but there was nothing that could be done about them. Udina wasn't in his office, but his secretary pointed Shepard towards the council conference room. The council was already in discussion, Liara standing in for Shepard for the moment. "Did Udina dye his hair?" Shepard whispered to Liara as she stood next to her.

Liara tried not to laugh, but cleared her throat to alert the arguing councillors of Shepard's presence. "Commander Shepard, thank you for joining us. I imagine this is a difficult time for you," the Asari Councillor nodded at Shepard.

"I don't need sympathy right now. I just need your support," Shepard replied.

"Unfortunately, we cannot spare any fleets. Sending our forces to Earth would leave our own planets vulnerable," the Turian councillor replied.

"So you aren't going to do anything? I've been telling you about the Reapers for more than two years, but you dismissed those claims," Shepard mocked the Turian councillor with her hands.

"This is not the time to argue about who is right or wrong. We need to work together to defeat the Reapers. We need reinforcements to protect Earth." Udina replied.

"As much as I hate to agree with Udina, he is right," Shepard said, as Udina glared at her. "No species is going to be able to do this on their own."

"We have a plan," Liara interrupted, sensing the growing tension in the room.

Despite her presentation of the Prothean blueprints, none of the councillors would offer reinforcements. Shepard walked out of the meeting feeling that nothing had been accomplished. "They're all idiots," Udina swore as he caught up to Shepard. "If this had been one of their planets."

"It soon will be. We've just got to go forward with the Prothean device on our own. It is our only chance," Shepard replied. She couldn't believe she was agreeing with Udina's sentiment.

"I have already forwarded the plans to Admiral Hackett. He is making arrangements to begin at once," Liara added. "The more help we can get him though."

"I'll see what I can do through my contacts," Udina replied. "The other councillors can sit on their asses if they so please," he added before the turian councillor came into Udina's office.

"I am not holding back my fleets out of selfishness, I assure you," he said as he entered. "Reaper scouts have already been seen in our systems. It is only a matter of time before they hit Palaven."

"Earth had little warning. They could already be there," Shepard replied.

"That is why I am asking a favor of you Shepard."

"Me, a favor? After you just slapped me in the face while my people are being slaughtered?"

"We haven't been sitting on our asses," he replied, casting a disdainful glance at Udina. "The Turian Hierarchy has been preparing. Primarch Fedorian called a war summit, but we've lost contact with him."

"How long ago?"

"This morning. He was preparing to leave on a shuttle this afternoon. If the Reapers are on Palaven, the Normandy is the only ship that can get in and out of the system safely. We need the Primarch to hold this summit. If you want to try to unite species, this war summit will do it."

"Fine. We will head to Palaven as soon as we are able, but my ship doesn't have a crew."

"I will take care of that Shepard," Udina finally spoke up again.

"Good, I am going to check on Kaida-, Major Alenko. Both of you, keep me informed." Shepard walked out without another word. Liara followed her, but didn't say much. She offered to gather as many supplies as they needed before the new crew was stationed. Shepard thanked her and took another cab back to the hospital


	97. I Can't Make it on My Own

Shepard didn't like hospitals, she hated them more than anything else in the galaxy. Even the smell managed to turn her stomach if she was feeling okay. She'd been injured enough times to associate the smell with pain and sickness. Knowing that Kaidan was on the verge of death made her feel even worse. She stopped at the front desk to inquire about Kaidan, before she heard her name called by a familiar voice.

"Karin!" Shepard nearly burst into tears as she hugged Dr. Chakwas.

"You are here about Kaidan, I assume?" The doctor asked.

"You heard? What are you doing here? Is he alright? Have you seen him?" Shepard asked excitedly.

"He's just come out of surgery. He had severe head trauma and a lot of broken ribs. He is lucky to be alive."

"Are you working here? Are you the one treating him?"

"No, I was assigned to some R and D labs in Shalta Ward after you surrendered to the Alliance. Dr. Cholé Michel is the one overseeing Major Alenko's care. She knew he'd been a patient of mine once, so she contacted me," she motioned towards the doctor Shepard recognized from years past. Dr. Chakwas waved her over.

"Commander Shepard, you and Garrus saved me from those thugs a few years ago. I will never have enough thanks for you," the doctor shook Shepard's hand. "You are here to see Major Alenko, no? I remember him serving with you."

"Yes, how is he?" Shepard asked.

"He is stable, but I am afraid he will be unconscious for a while. We are keeping him sedated until the swelling in his brain decreases, but you can see him if you like."

Shepard nodded, her stomach turning in knots. She followed the doctor through the hallways and into the critical patient wing. The doctor explained the neural splint that had been placed to relieve the swelling and the rest of his overall health. As soon as Shepard saw Kaidan on the gurney, she burst into tears. Part of his head was wrapped in a thick bandage and his entire face was bruised. The bedding had been pulled up around his chest, but she could see deep bruises on it as well.

She stumbled towards a chair and buried her face in her hands. Dr. Michel said nothing and quietly excused herself. "You stupid fool," Shepard cried out suddenly and reached for his limp hand. "I needed you and you go and nearly get yourself killed."

She squeezed his hand tightly, wishing he was awake so she could talk to him. "You have to pull through. There is no point to stopping the Reapers if you aren't here. I can't do this without you. The Council is sending me to fix a war summit, but the galaxy is already tearing itself apart. I need you here with me. When we were trying to stop Saren, you were my anchor. You calmed me down when I needed to and gave me confidence when I had none. Fighting the Collectors without you was hell. I can't go through this again without you." She sniffled and choked on her words and fell silent, letting her head drop. She sat with him in silence until a group of doctors came in.

"I am sorry ma'am, but we need to check his neural splint," a salarian doctor said.

Shepard got up from her chair and bent down to kiss Kaidan on the side of his face. Another tear slipped from her eye and splashed onto his cheek. "I love you," she whispered and wiped the tear away with her thumb. "I want updates on his condition every hour, send them to my omni-tool," Shepard turned towards the doctors. "And if he dies, I will blow up this hospital and shoot the rubble."

The salarian doctor nodded and motioned for someone to escort her back to the lobby. Dr. Chakwas was waiting for her. "Are you alright ?" Chakwas asked.

"I don't know. I've been a soldier all my life, but I've never fought a war. I need him to be alive. I can't do this on my own."

"He'll be fine and you will have plenty of help regardless," Dr. Chakwas hugged her.

"I want you back on the Normandy. It won't be the same without you." Shepard added.

"I will put in a transfer request immediately. There is no where else I'd rather be."

"Thank you Karin. I just, leaving Earth like that. I, it is all sinking in now," Shepard held her head and felt sick again.

"I saw some of the news footage, I can't imagine seeing it in person. Come on, you should get some rest, doctor's orders," Dr. Chakwas pulled her towards the cab depot.

The doctor hailed a cab and took Shepard back to the Normandy. She stopped to say hello to Joker before taking Shepard up to her cabin. "This is a little Dr. Chakwas cocktail," she said, handing Shepard a few pills. "You will sleep better and have more energy when you get up."

"Trying to drug me?" Shepard tried to smile a little.

"By the time you wake up, I'll have my transfer in and we can break out a bottle of brandy. If these are our last moments, we'll go out in style."

"Sounds like a plan," Shepard crawled into bed, after taking the pills. "So how did you ever end up stationed on the Citadel anyway? I thought ships were your life?"

Dr. Chakwas sighed and sat down on the end of the bed. "After the Collectors took us, I never thought I'd feel safe on a ship again. That's why I took the job on the Citadel. With the Reapers out there, I don't think I'll feel safe anywhere. I want to be here, with friends, at least."

"I'm sorry," Shepard reached for Dr. Chakwas' hand.

"It will be alright." Chakwas tried to smile. "I'll take a look at the med bay and make sure it is fully stocked."

Shepard was glad to have the doctor back on board. She was one of the few people Shepard could call a friend. She fell asleep quickly, but was troubled by disturbing dreams about the Reapers and Kaidan. The Reapers were chasing her and she was trying to run to Kaidan before they got to him. She could barely move, even though she knew she had to move faster. She woke up shaken, but soon drifted back to sleep from the pills Chakwas had given her. The dreams repeated themselves and she couldn't stop them, as much as she tried to wake herself up. She finally got up when someone kept calling her terminal. "What is it?" Shepard grumbled.

"Oh, sorry Commander, I just wanted to let you know that Admiral Hackett would like to speak with you as soon as possible," the unfamiliar voice replied.

"Who is this?"

"Sorry, I am Specialist Samantha Traynor. I've been assigned as the Normandy's communication specialist. I oversaw most of the retrofits on the Normandy as well."

"Can you patch Admiral Hackett up here?" Shepard yawned.

"Yes ma'am."

Shepard relayed her visit with the Council to Admiral Hackett and he was just as displeased as Shepard had been. "I understand that they are scared, so we need this summit to happen. If the Council won't do anything, you are going to have to appeal straight to their leadership," Hackett replied.

"I will do what I can. What do you think about the device plans? Can we build it?"

"We've named the device Project Crucible. The plans are deceptively simple. Once we gather the resources we need, we will be able to get it built quickly."

"That's good, I will contact you after we find the Primarch."

Just as she was getting up from her desk, her terminal rang again. "Can I get a moment's rest?" Shepard threw up her arms. "This is Shepard," she answered.

"Shep! It's Kasumi. So the rumors of you getting off Earth are true!"

"Kasumi?" Shepard asked, surprised to hear her voice.

"I was making plans to break you out of jail when the Reapers hit. And a had a little snag before that. I just wanted to check in and make sure you were still alive. I figured the Normandy would be the first place to check."

"I am surprised you could get through. The Alliance refitted this whole ship."

"Well, I left a little something in the computer systems before I left. I just like to keep my options open."

"I see. Well, what else have you been up to?"

"It seems some of my past jobs have come back to haunt me. I've got a salarian spectre trying to bring me in."

"Let me guess, that was the little snag you hit? Probably for stealing that dress on the Citadel," Shepard laughed a little.

"I've been keeping a low profile. Nothing I can't handle. Having Keiji's greybox helps, though it may be the cause of all this trouble as well."

"If you ever need a place to hide out, we can always pick you up."

"I'll keep that in mind. I won't tie you up any longer. I know you have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck. Hopefully I will talk to you soon."

"Bye Kasumi," Shepard turned off the terminal.

She was glad to hear more of her former squad was okay. She went straight for the shower and read through the doctor's updates on Kaidan. The salarian doctor was thorough with his notes, but there had been little change from last night. She contacted Udina, who let her know the rest of the crew would be reporting in by 1300 hours. She left the Normandy to get a few more supplies and visit Kaidan.

The doctors had removed the bandage, but the neural splint was still visible. They'd shaved part of his head to put it in and Shepard knew it would bother Kaidan to be missing some hair. This made her smile a little and she sat with him until almost 1200 hours. As she was heading back to the docking bay, she saw one of her new crewmen being harassed by a reporter. "Commander Shepard, I was just looking for you!" the reporter waved.

"By bothering my crew as they are trying to embark?" Shepard asked.

"Just trying to find out where you were. My name is Diana Allers, I am a reporter for the show Battlespace."

"Fascinating. What the hell do you want?"

"My producers want me to document the war, embedded on a ship or something. I'd like that ship to be the Normandy."

"It is a stealth ship. Having an amateur reporter running around with a camera kind of defeats the purpose. Spin the war however you want, just stay out of me and my crew's way," Shepard replied before hitting the airlock button.

The man the woman had been harassing was still waiting for decontamination when she entered. "You hate reporters too?" the man asked.

"They are parasites. There are a few decent ones, but they are few and far between. I assume you are one of the new crewmen?"

"Steven Cortez, ma'am. It is a pleasure to meet you," he saluted her.

"At ease Steven," Shepard nodded. "What's your story?"

"I helped move the armory downstairs and oversaw some of the other retrofits to the Normandy, which I will be maintaining. I am also the shuttle pilot."

"Good. I need someone who knows how to drive that thing. The last guy nearly got me killed."

"That wouldn't happen to be Lt. Vega would it?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"We've served together before. That sounds like him," Cortez laughed.

"Well, get settled in. We are heading to Palaven to pick up a dignitary. I imagine we will have need of your piloting skills."

"Yes, ma'am."

Shepard waited for the last of the skeleton crew to board and okayed their course towards Palaven. Shepard started to expect the worse, knowing that the Reapers would likely be launching full scale attacks on the all the home worlds before long. Knowing that Garrus was there made her both anxious and hopeful. If he'd helped the Turians prepare, getting the Primarch out might be less difficult. She went down to speak with the rest of the crew and get acquainted with some of the changes the Alliance had made to the ship.


	98. Fight Over Palaven

A/N: Updates will be slowing down a little. I had to rent my copy of ME3 (I'm a super broke right now), so I didn't get to play it as much as I'd like, to get inspiration from. I will try to update as quickly as I can manage, but will be updating my other stories as well.

The Normandy headed to the Trebia system and into the middle of the turian and reaper forces. Shepard had guessed the lack of contact was a signal of the invasion of the Hierarchy. Seeing Palaven engulfed in fire, as Earth had been, made Shepard's heart sink. She watched from the bridge as thousands of turian ships tried their best to punch at the hulking reaper forces. The turian military was the strongest in the galaxy and they were barely keeping the reapers at bay. "Oh Goddess," Liara turned away. "Do you think Garrus is, oh I can't even imagine."

"Garrus knew this was coming, he is smart enough to have gone somewhere safe," Shepard tried to sound reassuring, but she didn't know if she believed it herself. "Let's get down to the shuttle."

James and Cortez were already down in the cargo bay when Liara and Shepard came down. "How is it Commander?" James asked.

"Bad, but no worse than Earth." Shepard replied.

"I've got Turian Command on the comm," Cortez peeked out from the shuttle door. "They've given us a landing zone, but it may not stay clear long. They are holding strong on the moon Menae."

"Let's move then," Shepard nodded and climbed aboard.

The flight down to Menae was a little rough but Cortez proved to be a skilled pilot. "Hostiles in the landing zone, Commander. I can drop you some place else or you can shoot your way out," he yelled back from the helm.

"We don't need any delays. We need to get the Primarch," Shepard replied, grabbing the handle of the door.

She pulled it open and hung onto the side bar to steady herself. A large group of husks stood screeching at the shuttle above them. When the shuttle was low enough to the ground, Shepard jumped out firing, with James and Liara close behind her. The husks proved no challenge and a group of turians soon came out to greet Shepard. "We can't seem to keep an area clear for a more than a few minutes, sorry Commander," one of the men nodded at Shepard.

"Who do I need to speak with?" Shepard asked.

"General Corinthus, he is just up the ridge," the soldier pointed.

They climbed up the ridge, seeing the turians dug in hard. Menae was little more than a rock, but it had an atmosphere, allowing the turians to roam helmetless. The outposts looked well established and heavily fortified. Shepard found the general looking over maps of the bunkers scattered on moon's surface. "General Corinthus," Shepard tried to get his attention.

"You must be Commander Shepard," Corinthus nodded. "I wish I could greet you with better news, but Primarch Fedorian is dead."

"Dead?"

"His shuttle was shot down a few hours ago."

"Damn it," Shepard swore. "What are we supposed to do now? I was sent him specifically for him."

"Things would be clearer if we could keep up communication with Hierarchy Command, but the reapers target our comm systems as often as they can. They will know who will be promoted in Primarch Fedorian's place, but we can't reach them."

"Where is the nearest comm tower?"

"It's not far, but we can't spare men to fix it."

"We'll go, just point us in the right direction."

Corinthus showed them on his map and Shepard scanned the coordinates into her omni-tool. She led her team towards the comm tower in the distance, passing a few more outposts on the way. The comm tower stood in the middle of a rocky field, which had little area for cover. The reapers continuously dropped forces down, but the husks had no weapons and were easily slowed. Liara climbed up to check the tower's systems while James and Shepard continued to fight off the groups of reapers being dropped in. Liara was able to repair the tower quickly and they hurried back to General Corinthus' bunker.

"Did you get in contact with High Command?" Shepard asked as she climbed back into the bunker.

"General Adrien Victus is the new Primarch, but we have no idea where he is. Our forces are too spread out. I've sent for the last soldier that was with him. He should be here soon," Corinthus replied.

Shepard nodded and climbed up to one of the outposts to help pick off reapers while they waited. She'd taken down twenty-four before someone called up to her. "I always wanted you to see Palaven, but not like this," Garrus yelled up to her.

"Garrus! You're here on Menae? I heard you'd gone to Palaven," Shepard waved, thankful to see him alive. She climbed down from the roof and hugged him.

"Up until a few days ago I was. When we heard the reapers were coming, we moved our operations here. Thought we might be able to save Palaven. I guess we were wrong," he sighed. "I heard about Earth, I'm sorry. But I am glad you made it out alive and you got the Normandy back too."

"Yeah, a lot has happened in the last few days."

"Commander, I see you already know General Vakarian," Corinthus interrupted.

"Garrus is an old friend," Shepard smiled.

"You were with General Victus this morning, correct?" Corinthus asked Garrus.

"For a little while. We got separated when three of those brutes dropped down on us."

"You think he is still alive?" Shepard asked. "He is the new Primarch. I was sent here to extract him for a war summit."

"Well, Victus will get a kick out of that. Then probably tell you to go screw yourself," Garrus laughed.

"Do you think he will be uncooperative?"

"He is a soldier. He will not want to leave the battlefield. That is, if we can find him."

"What is it?" Corinthus asked when another turian soldier approached.

"The airfield is being overwhelmed. We can't launch anymore fighters until we secure it again, sir," the soldier replied.

"Damn it, we don't get a moments' rest from these things," Corinthus swore.

"I lost Victus south of there, we'll clear the airfield and search for him afterward," Garrus replied.

"Good luck," Corinthus nodded. "Get us some damn support."

They left Corinthus' small base and headed towards the airfield. It was full of husks and one enormous creature that looked like a giant turian. The turians had nicknamed them brutes, because of their sheer size. It smashed its way through a few fighters before finally falling to a large amount of gunfire. "I thought husks were bad, look what the reapers are doing to my own people," Garrus looked down at the corpse.

"It's a brutal strategy. Kills two birds with one stone, but it's bullshit " Shepard shook her head.

"How the hell did they get so many?" James wondered as they began to follow the trail Garrus had left Victus on.

"They attacked the batarians first, that is why there are so many cannibals. And it doesn't take long once they put someone up on the dragon's teeth. I saw it on Eden Prime, it was terrifyingly efficient," Shepard replied.

"Why attack the Hegemony first? You'd think they'd want to attack the biggest fleet first? The asari or us?" Garrus wondered.

"I don't know. The batarians were hiding reaper artifacts. Maybe they were just the most vulnerable target. Million year old artifacts can still cause indoctrination. Who knows what else they were messing with."

"That worries me. How would you even know it was happening?"

"I try not to think about it," Shepard shook her head.

They continued on the rocky path where Garrus and Victus had been earlier. The reapers were scattered, but still managed to slowthem down. They eventually found the bunker where General Victus had led the rest of his men. "Vakarian, what are you doing back here?" Victus asked. "You disappeared."

"We are here for you," Garrus replied. "This is Commander Shepard of the Alliance. She is here to pick up the new Primarch for a war summit."

"Commander Shepard, I don't know what to say. Your reputation in the galaxy proceeds you, but I, I am no Primarch," Victus seemed confused.

"You are the next in line sir, Primarch Fedorian is dead." Shepard replied. "The turian councillor sent me to retrieve the Primarch. I need your help to unite the galaxy against the reapers."

"I'm a soldier, I'm no politician," Victus shook his head.

"Then you can tell the other races what you've seen and why it is so important to come together. The faster we get that done, the less lives will be lost."

"Will you give me a moment to speak with my men at least?" Victus sighed.

"Of course. I will call the shuttle to pick us up."

Shepard called Cortez and tried to keep the landing zone clear of reapers. They seemed to watch for ships before swarming in, so Cortez had to make a few passes before he could pick them up. Garrus came aboard to help coordinate to turian war effort outside of Palaven. They docked with the Normandy and headed away before the reapers could engage the ship. As they were climbing out of the shuttle, the power in the cargo bay cut out for a second. "What the hell was that?" Shepard radioed to Joker. "We aren't being pursued are we?"

"It is EDI, something is going on with her systems. She just went offline. You might want someone to check on the AI core," he replied.

"General, Garrus can show you around and find you a place to stay. I'll go take care of this," Shepard turned to Victus.

"Of course Commander," Victus nodded as Shepard headed toward the elevator.

"This is just what I need, my unshackled ship AI going haywire," Shepard mumbled to herself as she rode to the crew deck.

"There is a fire in the AI core," a soldier ran past the elevator as the doors opened.

"Fire? What the hell is going on?" Shepard ran after him. Dr. Chakwas stood outside the medical bay doors with her hand over her mouth. "Are you alright?" Shepard asked.

"I heard a lot of noise coming from the core and went to call someone. I have no idea what is going on," Chakwas replied.

"No one has been in there?"

"No. Liara was in yesterday looking over the mech, but no one else went in there."

Shepard stepped into the med bay, seeing the AI core doors sealed shut. One of the soldiers was trying to unlock the failsafe protocols. "It's not a big fire, but we need to see what is causing it before it spreads," an engineer looked down at his omni-tool.

The doors soon opened and smoke billowed out. Shepard batted it away with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. As the smoke cleared, she saw the mech moving and grabbed one of the soldiers' sidearms on instinct. "Shepard, do not shoot me," the mech replied in EDI's voice.

"EDI, is that you?" Shepard coughed, the gun still pointed at her.

"Yes," EDI replied.

"What the hell happend? You went offline and now you are in this mech?"

"As I was searching the backlogs of prothean data contained in Dr. Eva's body, I encountered a trap that activated the unit's auxiliary power source. In order to prevent the body from coming back online and accessing the ship's controls, I had to force myself into its systems. The integration did not go entirely as planned, but I now have full control of this body and the ships' systems again."

"You are inside of both?"

"Yes. I will be able to maintain control of this body as long as I am within distance of the Normandy's communication beam."

"Joker will be happy at least," Shepard frowned.

"You are displeased at what has occured?" EDI asked.

"A week ago, it slammed my boyfriend's head into a shuttle," Shepard shook her head. "It is just a little shocking to see it up and running again."

"I assure you, there will be no further incidents such as that. This mech was tailored with reaper technology, but I have full control of every system."

"No hidden viruses like the one that caused Joker to unshackle you?"

"No, I was built from the ground up to the Illusive Man's specifications."

"That explains the tits then," Shepard rolled her eyes. "We better explain to the crew, before anyone else tries to shoot you."

Shepard got on the comm and assured the crew that the ship's systems were back online and that EDI would be working remotely from the mech's body as well. She didn't know how they would react to a walking AI, but didn't know what else to do. "I will return to the bridge to reassure Joker of my capabilities," EDI added.

"You might want to bring a mop," Shepard joked, as EDI looked at her confused. "Nevermind," Shepard shook her head


	99. I Was Lost Without You

Shepard was exhausted, but stopped by the mess to grab something to eat before heading upstairs to change. She removed her armor and sat down at her terminal to check her messages and finish eating. There were a few more reports from Admiral Anderson that made Shepard glad to hear he was still alive. The asari councillor had sent a note that the Republic would not be joining the summit, but the krogan were interested in talking. Her heart jumped when she saw an email from Kaidan at the bottom of her inbox.

He'd been taken off the sedatives and wanted to check in. She read through the message a few times, but wanted to hear his voice for reassurance. She tried his omni-tool and finally got connected after a few tries. "Hello? Shepard, are you there?" Kaidan asked, his voice groggy.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Shepard asked.

"No, I was awake. I still tend to drift in and out sometimes is all," he replied, though Shepard suspected he was lying.

"I got your email and just wanted to hear your voice. It makes me feel," she sighed happily. "It just lets me know you are really okay. You had me worried for a minute."

"Yeah, I never thought I'd go down so easy, but I'll be alright soon."

"Hey, that mech you faced off with had reaper tech in her. It isn't everyday you go toe to toe with a reaper and survive."

"Well that makes it all better I suppose," Kaidan laughed. "So where are you?"

"We are just leaving Palaven. Some of the diplomats are trying to get a war summit together. It was pretty bad there, but this summit might be hopeful. I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up."

"It's okay, I know you are out there doing what needs to be done. Next time you come by the Citadel you can come visit. Just let me know first so I can clean myself up. They had to shave part of my head to put the neurosplint in."

"I saw that when I came to visit when you were unconscious. I am sure it will grow back thick and luxurious as ever."

"Yeah, the doctors mentioned that a red headed woman stopped by and threatened to kill them if I died. They still seem pretty nervous when they come into my room."

"Well, these diplomats are kind of dragging their feet, so I might be able to stop by in a day or so. The krogan now want in on the summit, so we will have to wait on them." Shepard wanted nothing more than to be at his side right now.

"Good. I'd like to see you. There is something I'd like to get your opinion on, but we can talk about it when you get here," he yawned.

"I will let you get some more rest, you sound tired."

"Alright, call me anytime."

"You won't keep lying and tell me you weren't sleeping?" Shepard laughed.

"No promises," he chuckled. "Thanks for calling Shepard, I," He hesitated for a moment and then added "miss you."

"I miss you too Kaidan. I will see you soon."

Shepard shut off the terminal and smiled, relieved to know he was doing alright. She couldn't wait to talk to him face to face. They'd said a lot of things on Mars and Shepard wanted to put everything right. With the krogan now deciding to join the war summit, Shepard had an excuse to stop by the Citadel before meeting with the diplomats. She fully expected the krogan to draw out their arrival just to piss off the salarian and turians.

Shepard called down to Joker, but he didn't answer his comm. 'He's probably just staring at EDI and trying to hide an erection,' Shepard thought as she took the elevator down to the bridge. "Joker, answer your damn comm," Shepard growled as she came up behind him. EDI was sitting at the command center next to him, already looking comfortable in her body.

"Oh, sorry Commander," Joker replied, red faced.

"Yeah, yeah, just take us back to the Citadel for now. The krogan will be joining the summit and I don't expect them in the Annos Basin for a few days."

"Aye-aye," he replied.

Shepard returned to her cabin and watched a vid until she was ready to fall asleep. She needed to do something to take her mind off the war. It had kept her awake in the past few days and when she went to sleep, that's all she seemed to think about. She'd fought in a lot of battles, but never a war. She didn't know how she would handle a defeat. She tried to sleep but her thoughts gnawed at her. She eventually got up and took a hot shower to calm her nerves. She kept the water so hot, she became lightheaded and was finally able to get a little sleep after curling up on the couch.

They arrived at the Citadel late the next day. Shepard hurried to the hospital to see Kaidan before visiting hours were over. She saw Councillor Udina in his room and lingered outside. She was curious about what they were talking about, but didn't want to intrude. Kaidan saw her and waved her inside. "Hey Shepard," he smiled.

"Major, how are you feeling?" Shepard nodded at Udina, trying to hide her dislike.

"I still have a lot of pain in my head and my shoulder will act up once in a while, but I'll be okay, eventually."

"We need you back in action," Udina said. "I'd like an answer soon. Shepard, I imagine you got the Primarch out safely? What are you doing back on the Citadel?" Udina turned to her, a slight tone of disdain in his voice.

"The Primarch is safe on the Normandy, we are just waiting for the krogan to join the summit," Shepard replied politely, though she narrowed her eyes at him. He walked out without another word.

"How are you?" Kaidan asked as she turned back towards him.

"Better now that you are conscious again. What did Udina want?" Shepard sat down and took his hand in her own.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." He paused and cleared his throat. " Udina wants to make me a Spectre. It's a big honor, but it, it would mean I couldn't rejoin you and the Normandy." He squeezed her hand a little bit.

"We always said we would put our duties first," she looked at him, slightly disappointed at this new development. She wanted to be happy for him, but she wanted him by her side even more.

"Yeah, I know. This, this is so hard," he closed his eyes for a second. "What happened on Mars, well, it's really made me take stock of everything in my life. After everything we've been through, I just want to know we are alright. A lot of things have been said, but," he paused and looked at her again.

"I want you in my life, Kaidan. Even if we have to work apart."

He sighed and smiled at her. "That's what I want too. We're good together, even if we always seem to get into trouble. Hell, my career was pretty normal until the day I met you. Eden Prime seems like so long ago."

"Three years," Shepard nodded, thinking about the moment she'd walked onto the bridge and seen him for the first time.

"I can't imagine not having you in my life. For all I know, you are the only thing I have left. The Reapers hit Vancouver hard, my dad may not have made it."

"Have you tried contacting him?"

"I spoke with him a few days before the attack. He'd finally seen that magazine article about us. He wasn't too happy about me sleeping with my commanding officer. Things got a little heated. I just, I hope those weren't the last things I said to my dad."

"Anderson is still in the city, I will have him keep an eye out."

"I'd appreciate that."

"So how are you really feeling? I couldn't imagine being cooped up in here all day. Though at least you have a nice view out there." Shepard glanced out the tall windows that overlooked the Presidium.

"I've got a nice view in here too," he grinned at her.

"Are you flirting with me Major?" Shepard laughed and stood up to tussle his hair. "Or are you trying to butter me up so I sneak you in some real food. I heard your stomach growling."

"The food isn't the best in here. I think I've already lost a few pounds."

"Well, we can't have you losing that perfect ass of yours can we," she laughed. "I'll bring you something, okay?"

"Preferably something with real, identifiable meat. If I see another hunk of mystery protein, I am throwing it out the window."

"Alright, I will be back in a little while, my hunk of mystery protein," Shepard laughed.

She left the hospital and went to one of the better restaurant districts. She settled on krogan barbecue and smuggled it back into the hospital with a large bouquet of flowers. "Flowers, how nice," Kaidan smiled when she returned. "And something smoked."

"Only the best for you," she pulled out the carton of food.

"Mmm, it is making my mouth water already," he sat up.

They ate together and chatted until it became perfectly clear that visiting hours were over. "I guess I better go before they kick me out. That nurse has walked by at least a dozen times. Unless she has a crush on your or something," Shepard twisted her face with teasing jealousy.

"I already told her about my amazingly beautiful girlfriend who can shoot the tail off a pyjack from a thousand yards away," Kaidan squeezed her hand.

"More like two thousand," Shepard smiled and bent over to kiss him deeply. "I'm glad we got things, settled. I love you. And I will be thinking about you all the time I am away."

"I love you too. Be safe okay? Don't get in between the krogan and salarians when they decide they want to fight each other," he kissed her back.

"I'll just be taking bets," Shepard grinned. She didn't want to leave, but she saw the nurse make another pass down the hallway, glaring into Kaidan's room. "I will come by tomorrow before we head to the summit," she kissed him again.

She left his room, passing the nurse in the process. She was tempted to say something, but held her tongue. She was too happy with all the time she'd been able to spend with him. A year and a half without him had been hard on her. She returned to the Normandy and read through the heap of messages and reports on her terminal. There was too much to sort through and Shepard got a headache from looking over it all.

She tried to go to bed early, but didn't fall asleep quickly. Seeing Kaidan had eased her mind a little bit, but she still couldn't stop her racing thoughts. She thought about the millions that were being killed each day until she managed to find a way to stop the reapers. The feelings gnawed at her and made her feel ill. When she finally fell asleep, her dreams were no better than her waking thoughts. She dreamed of little mistakes she'd made in her past, like getting behind in her schoolwork at the academy and sleeping with bad men. She wondered why she worried about such insignificant things in her past, compared to what was happening outside of her dreams. She couldn't believe such little things could make her feel guilty and slept restlessly.


	100. To The Summit

**A/N: 100 chapters! Thank you for sticking with Rachael and Kaidan and their crazy adventures!**

Shepard tried to sleep as long as she could, knowing it wouldn't come easy in the next few days. They would be heading to a suspected Cerberus base before going to the war summit in the Pranas System. Shepard finally got up and went to visit Kaidan for a few minutes. "We are headed out in an hour, but I wanted to stop in again," Shepard sat down.

"Did something come up?" he asked.

"It is Cerberus again. After what happened on Mars, I am expecting the worst from the Illusive Man."

"Any idea what he would want with the prothean device?"

"If it helps put humanity at the top, I imagine he will find a use for just about anything. I just wish I knew where to find him, so I could stick an omni-blade in his throat. He ordered that mech to kill you."

"He better watch out then," he smiled and stroked her face gently. "You look tired."

"I haven't exactly been sleeping well, but that's nothing new." Shepard bit her lip.

"Just promise me you won't burn yourself out. I remember when we were tracking Saren, trying to put it all on yourself. You can't handle it all. Let the crew pick up some of the slack."

"I know," she looked down, knowing she would probably do the opposite.

"I wish I could be there with you."

"I do too, but you've still got to recover. And deal with Udina if you decide to take that Spectre job," she smiled. She almost hoped he would say no, but couldn't find it in her heart to ask him to.

"Spectre Alenko? I still don't know," he chuckled a little bit. "Is the pay any better?"

"Yeah, but the Council is always on your ass and you never get enough time with your boyfriend," Shepard glanced down at her omni-tool and sighed. "I better get back to the Normandy."

"Alright," he smiled and grabbed her hand. "Be careful out there."

He pulled her towards his bed and kissed her deeply, making her shudder a little. "Mmm so, when will you be, ready for action again?" she smiled and bit his lip. "Just so I can prepare myself."

He laughed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Don't ever change Shepard. You're the strangest woman I've ever met, but I love you more for it."

"So like two weeks?" She laughed and hugged him tightly.

"I'll email you as soon as the doctors clear me," he grinned.

"I love you," she held his face in both her hands.

"I love you and I'll miss you. Next time you see me, I'll be out of this bed and ready to fight."

"I'll hold you to that," she snuck one last kiss and left his room.

As she walked through the hallway, she saw a drell in front of her. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, allowing Shepard to catch up with him. "Thane, is that you?" Shepard stopped beside him.

"Commander Shepard," Thane nodded warmly. "What brings you to the Citadel?"

"A good friend of mine was injured, I just finished visiting with him," Shepard replied, motioning back toward Kaidan's room. She walked beside him as they continued down the hall.

"The human biotic that was brought in with head trauma? I have heard the nurses talking about him."

"I see," Shepard replied, looking around for any nurses nearby who she could threaten with bodily harm. "Are you alright? You don't look well."

"I have lived well past the remaining time my doctors promised me, but my health has gone into a decline in the past month. I now require daily care for my condition."

"I'm sorry," Shepard patted him on the shoulder.

"I am not. I have lived a full life, done a lot of bad things, tried to do good things, reconnected with my son. I am ready to die."

"How is your son doing?"

"Kolyat is better. After the trouble he caused, Commander Bailey took the boy under his wing. He is working as a courier for C-Sec at the moment."

"That is good to hear. I wish there was something I could do to help. I can never thank you enough for helping me with the Collectors."

"I would join you again against the reapers if I was able. I will contact some leads and see if there is anything I can do for you from the Citadel."

"Thank you Thane and take care of yourself."

"I would ask the same of you. I will look in on your friend when I can, perhaps we might talk about biotics."

"I think he'd like that," she added, giving him a light hug.

Shepard returned to the Normandy and told Joker to call back the rest of the crew that had disembarked. They left the Citadel and headed towards the Cerberus base when everyone returned onboard. The reports indicated that Cerberus might be experimenting with reaper technology and Shepard was eager to see what the Illusive Man was up to. The Cerberus commandos didn't take kindly to their arrival, but Shepard's team was able to recover a decent amount of data before reinforcements arrived.

Shepard and Liara looked through the data as they made their way to the Annos Basin for the war summit. The science team on Sanctum had been studying reaper artifacts and there was a lot of information about their new recruiting procedures. The reaper tech they'd seen on Mars was apparently now standard, referred to as 'integration' in the reports. The more Shepard read, the more she worried about the Illusive Man's intentions. She forwarded a few of the reports to Hackett and went down the speak with Garrus and Victus. The reports from Palaven weren't promising and both turians were eager to see what the war summit would amount to.

The diplomatic ships were waiting a comfortable distance apart when the Normandy arrived. No one wanted to meet on the others' ship, so Shepard offered the Normandy as a common meeting ground. The salarian dalatrass held herself highly, but Wrex acted more like a shipmate than a political figure. "This new ship is a lot nicer than the old Normandy," he mused as he walked with Shepard. He greeted Garrus by shaking him on the shoulder roughly and even stopped by to talk to Joker for a moment, much to the chagrin of the salarian dalatrass.

"Can we get this meeting underway?" she finally asked in an annoyed tone.

"Yes, looking forward to it," Shepard sighed, knowing she wasn't prepared to keep all three of the dignitaries from each others' throats.


	101. Past Grievances

As Shepard listened to the dignitaries arguing back and forth about past grievances, she had the sudden urge to bang her head against the war room table. It had taken only moments for tensions to rise and drown out Shepard's pleas to be civil. She turned away and stared out into the void of space. Everything would be gone if she couldn't get them to stop fighting each other. "Shepard, what do you think?" Wrex interrupted her brooding.

"I think if we keep fighting like this, we might as well bend over and take it from the reapers," Shepard turned back towards the table.

"Commander Shepard is right, in a manner of speaking," Victus added, seeing the dalatrass glaring at Shepard. "We must be united if we stand any chance against the reapers."

"Reaper scouts have arrived on Tuchanka. If I send my men to help the turians, while the reapers are invading, how will we replenish our numbers when this is all over?" Wrex interrupted.

"What are you asking?" Victus turned to Wrex.

"A cure for the genophage. If I am going to send my men to protect turian troops, they need something to fight for. The chance to raise children, the chance for krogan mothers to hold their young again."

"So you can repopulate and destroy the galaxy after we've defeated the reapers?" the dalatrass asked angrily.

"We've got more important things to worry about than would could happen," Shepard snapped back.

"It would take years for a cure to be perfected. We don't have that kind of time," Victus added.

Wrex ignored the dalatrass and looked at Shepard. "There was a salarian scientist on Tuchanka. He was close to perfecting a cure."

"Maelon's work? I remember Mordin mentioning him. His experiments were barbaric."

"But they worked. Some of the females survived the experiments. That is until the salarians sent an STG team in to "retrieve" them. My informant tells me with the female's DNA, a cure could be synthesized in a matter of days."

"You cannot seriously be considering this Commander Shepard?" the dalatrass asked.

"Why the hell not? We need each other if we are going to survive this. The krogans deserve a second chance."

"And you support this as well, Primarch Victus?" the dalatrass asked with scorn.

"If it gets men on Palaven, yes," Victus nodded. "Where did STG take the krogan females?"

The dalatrass folded her arms across her defensively. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because if you don't tell us, you will only have your own forces to defend the salarian systems when they are overrun with reapers," Shepard replied.

The dalatrass could see she had been backed into a corner and narrowed her eyes at the other delegates. "They are being held in a base on Sur'Kesh. I will tell them you are coming," she sneered. She left the war room without another word, leaving Shepard alone with Wrex and Victus.

"Boy, I am glad she is gone," Wrex let out a sigh.

"I assume we will be going to Sur'Kesh at once? With each passing day, we both lose more people," Victus asked Shepard.

"We can head to the base tomorrow, unless the dalatrass puts up any protests."

"I am coming with you Shepard. You will need my help to protect the females," Wrex added.

"Tensions will already be high with the salarians. I will let you come along only if you promise to have a cool head."

"My head is just fine," Wrex snarled back with a slight smile. "Where should I put my stuff?"

"What kind of stuff?" Shepard asked, wondering how long Wrex planned on staying on the new Normandy.

"Five hundred pounds of varren meat, twenty shotguns, five boxes of heat clips, and five boxes of incendiary grenades."

"Um, all that can go in the cargo bay," Shepard raised an eyebrow. She hoped she wouldn't have a problem with Wrex once they arrived on Sur'Kesh.

"I should check in with turian command," Victus excused himself. Shepard nodded and watched him leave.

As soon as Victus was gone, Wrex added. "I don't like him either."

"We don't have to like each other," Shepard patted him on the shoulder. "We just have to survive."

Shepard showed Wrex to the elevator and went to give their new destination to Joker and check in with EDI. She seemed to be adapting to her new body well and Joker seemed more than enamored with it. He set course towards Sur'Kesh, so Shepard returned to her cabin to look over more reports. Each one she browsed made her feel even more defeated. The reapers where hitting the major centers of Earth hard, along with the most populous colonies. There was no word from Mindoir and Shepard could only assume the worst.

She went down to the mess for dinner, but didn't eat much. Food only seemed to make the anxiety in her stomach worse. She returned to her cabin to take a hot shower and make an attempt at getting a good night's sleep. She was rinsing out her hair when she heard her terminal ring. The VI announced that Kaidan Alenko was calling, so Shepard rushed out of the shower dripping wet.

"Hello, Kaidan?" Shepard answered. She had managed to grab a towel on the way out and held it against her breasts.

"Let me see if I can get this to work," he said and suddenly his image popped up on the screen. "I've been going stir crazy in this room, so I installed a vid comm modifier on my omni- what are you wearing?" he asked, slightly surprised to she her half naked.

"Oh, I was in the shower. I didn't want to miss you."

"Well, now I am even more glad I got this installed," he blushed. "How did the summit go?"

"No one was killed, but I don't know if we will ever get the salarians on our side after Wrex demanded a cure for the genophage."

"Wrex?"

"Yeah, he is the most powerful clan chief on Tuchanka now. They sent him as their diplomatic advisor."

"That definitely sounds like something to krogan would do," Kaidan laughed.

"How is the healing going? Shouldn't you be resting instead of making modifications to your omni-tool?" Shepard winked.

"I feel fine, but Dr. Michel keeps insisting on running more tests. She's made me her pet project." he said, raising an eyebrow when she shifted the towel around and briefly flashed her breasts. "Now, you are just trying to tease me," he grinned.

"I wouldn't dream of it! Unless it will get you out of bed any faster," she smiled.

"I'd do anything to be there with you, it is boring here by myself. Your friend Thane has come by a few times. It is nice to have someone to talk to, even if I don't know him. He seems like an okay guy."

"Yeah, he is. He helped a lot with taking down the Collectors."

"I wish I could have helped too. I am sorry I didn't believe you."

"It is not your fault. Cerberus has proved how easily they switch sides, you did the right thing being skeptical of them."

"I just wish I could take back what I said on Horizon, I was a real jerk. I just want you know that I will always trust your decisions, Shepard. I know you will always do what is right."

"In this war, I don't know if any decisions I will make will be the right one," she sighed.

They talked for a while longer until the signal began to break up. Shepard kissed the screen goodbye and starting drying her hair. She climbed into bed, no less anxious, but slightly more hopeful. Kaidan was worth trying anything for, even mending hundreds of years of mutual hatred. The salarians, krogan, and turians had nearly annihilated the rachni, perhaps they had the strength to help annihilate the reapers once and for all


	102. Untouched Paradise

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating. I am having some writer's block and been busy with life business and such. Heading off on vacation that will hopefully clear my head. :D**

As the Normandy neared Sur'Kesh, Shepard went downstairs to get something to eat. She couldn't seem to get any rest and found most of the crew still asleep so early in the morning. Garrus sat alone at the mess table, squirting a tube of dextro paste into his mouth. "Shepard," Garrus coughed and wiped his mandibles with his other hand. "You are up early?"

"I couldn't sleep. Each moment I shut my eyes, more of our people are dying."

"But they are still dying when you are awake. We've just got to get these alliances made. We can't win a war with a battalion of troops who are each in it for themselves. They have to fight as a single unit. We are heading in the right direction, I think."

"Yeah, but most battalions don't foster thousand year grudges," Shepard sighed and sat down.

"Are you having doubts about working with the krogan?"

"Should I be? Wrex was one of the first krogan I ever dealt with. What if they decide to start a war once they regain some strength?"

"I once heard you say you never get to make the right decision. You only get to make the best decision at the time. Right or wrong, we will never win this war without the krogan."

"Of course we won't," Wrex said, walking into the mess.

"How did the other clans feel about you coming to the summit, Wrex? The last time I was on Tuchanka, you were still having trouble with some of them," Shepard asked.

"Most of them have come around. And with the reapers at our door, I expect the rest of them to fall in line. They know what is at stake."

"So you knew before coming here that you would demand a cure for the genophage?"

"I received information about the females less than a month ago. I was still forming a plan of attack when I heard about the summit. I figured I'd try that before sending krogan ships to invade salarian space."

"You would have started a war?" Shepard gaped.

"These females are the last hope of my people. They are immune to the genophage. I wasn't going to sit by and let the salarians kill them."

"Luckily diplomacy worked out," Garrus interrupted.

"We will see," Wrex frowned. "I don't trust the dalatrass."

"I am sure she feels the same way about you," Shepard replied. "Like I said, we don't have to all hold hands and sing songs. We just need to hold off the reapers while this prothean device is being figured out."

"The protheans were wiped out. What makes you think they have a weapon that could defeat the reapers?" Wrex asked dryly and began chewing on some varren meat.

"I don't know if it will work, but it is our best shot." Shepard didn't have much confidence in her voice. Seeing how easily the reapers were destroying the batarian, human, and turian forces, she wasn't sure they could be stopped. She sat eating as Garrus and Wrex caught up from their last meeting on Tuchanka. They discussed the suicide mission and how Grunt was faring.

"Commander, we are half an hour away from Sur'Kesh," Joker radioed down from the bridge, interrupting their conversation.

"Alright, let's get the shuttle prepped then," Shepard replied and took one last bite of food. Wrex went to follow her and Garrus downstairs, so Shepard stopped at the elevator doors. "I don't know if it is a good idea if you came with us. We don't need an incident."

"I am not staying on the ship. I need to be down there," Wrex insisted.

"Shepard is right, Wrex. Pissing off the salarians won't do us any good. Let us handle it."

"We go back a few years, but that doesn't make you any less of a turian, Garrus," Wrex narrowed his eyes.

"We just don't need anymore animosity, okay? You can come down in the shuttle, but I want you to stay aboard. I will take care of everything. I am a neutral party, I have no grudges against anyone involved."

"Fine," Wrex replied unhappily and followed them into the elevator. Cortez was still working on the shuttle when they entered the cargo bay.

"How is she?" Shepard asked.

"She took a few hits at the Cerberus base, but she is ready to fly," Cortez nodded.

"She wouldn't have taken any hits if you were a better pilot," James joked from across the room.

"Remind me how your last shuttle flight ended, Lt. Vega?" Cortez laughed.

"Hey, I stopped the bad guys from getting the data, didn't I?"

"Let's get ready to go," Shepard ordered, feeling like a bit of a buzzkill for interrupting their banter. She was anxious to get the exchange over with and felt irritable from a lack of sleep. "We will be on Sur'kesh in less than thirty. I want everything to go smoothly," she added.

Shepard changed and went over a few things with the team before they headed down to the STG base. "Commander, the salarian base is telling me we aren't clear to land," Cortez yelled from the helm.

"Did you tell them Dalatrass Linron sent us?" Shepard climbed out of her seat.

"They are waving us off," Cortez replied.

"What is going on?" Wrex yelled from the back of the shuttle.

"Nothing," Shepard yelled back. "Just set us down, I will talk to ground security," Shepard said to Cortez.

"I knew the damn salarians would cause problems with this," Wrex stood up and eyed the door.

"Wrex, don't," Shepard begged. "I am sure this is just a misunderstanding. I will handle it."

"These females are all the krogan people have. I'll handle it," Wrex replied and pulled open the door.

The shuttle was about twenty feet off the landing pad, but Wrex jumped anyway, shotgun in hand. "Damn it," Shepard yelled. She waited until they were a little closer to the ground and jumped out after him.

The salarian guards already had their guns trained on Wrex, who had his shotgun pointed back at them. "Everyone calm down, we received authorization to extract the krogan females in your facility," Shepard said, holding her hands up.

Another salarian ran out of a nearby elevator and shouted, "What is going on here? Commander Shepard? We were told only moments ago to expect you, but they said nothing about a krogan."

"He was supposed to stay on the shuttle," Shepard glared at Wrex. "Why weren't you told sooner about our arrival?"

"I do not know. We just received word from the Salarian Union. The female is being prepared for travel as we speak. My name is Padok Wiks, I was told this would be a friendly exchange," he added, eyeing Wrex's shotgun.

"It is," Shepard stepped in front of Wrex and looked up at him. "Get in the damn shuttle. I said I will take care of everything."

Wrex eyed her angrily, but turned around in a huff. He shoved passed Garrus and James and went back into the shuttle. "I'm sorry about that," Shepard apologized. "He is just hot headed."

"As are most krogan," Wiks replied. "I was just working on your security clearance when you arrived. I will just need a moment."

Shepard sat down and looked around at the surrounding landscape. The planet was lush and bright, with clear blue skies peeking above the jungle. The air was a little humid, but had a freshness that pleased Shepard. It was refreshing to see a planet unspoiled by the reapers. She wondered if the salarians would be the last to be hit by the reapers, since they were so far from dark space. The Annos Basin was nestled further near the galactic core than any other race.

Wiks returned and let them know they could head into the base. Shepard thanked him and headed to the elevator with Garrus and James in tow. As they rode down, an alarm blared loudly down the elevator shaft. "What now?" Shepard wondered, stepping out of the doors. "What is the alarm for, we have clearance to come inside?"

"It is a proximity alert," one of the salarian scientists replied. He looked down at his terminal with a frown. "We will need to begin evacuation."

"Evacuation? What the hell is going on?" Shepard shook her head. She'd hoped the exchange would be simple and wondered what had the entire base suddenly on full alert. She didn't need anything standing in the way of the treaty and any setbacks would surely cause trouble. She knew the reapers couldn't have arrived so quickly and went looking to find out what had the STG base so spooked.


	103. A Krogan's Hope

**A/N: I feel bad for taking so long to update, but after coming back from vacation, I got sick. But I will be moving into a better living situation in the next few weeks and hope that will inspire some really quick updates….. and maybe I can grab a copy of ME3. Managed to get out two chapters!**

The salarians didn't bother to answer any of Shepard's questions, running back and forth preparing the base for evacuation. No one seemed to know what had been spotted on the perimeter and they were more concerned about getting specimens prepared for transport. As Shepard furrowed her brow at the loud alarm, she heard a familiar voice call her name. "Shepard!" Mordin Solus waved from behind one of the many terminals in the lab.

"Mordin? I didn't know you were back with STG?" Shepard waved back and walked toward him.

"Unexpected, needed as a special consultant," he motioned Shepard to come over. "Contacted Urdnot Wrex when I found out the females were here," he added in a hushed tone.

"You are Wrex's secret contact?" Shepard whispered.

"The females were ill when they were brought here. I did what I could, but only one survived," he let out a solemn sigh. "She is immune to the genophage. Cure could be synthesized from her tissue."

"We need to get her out of here then. Why is the whole base evacuating? Do you have any idea what is going on?"

"Unknown. Unlikely a reaper attack so soon."

"Shepard, it's Wrex. Some of your old friends followed us here. We don't need them making trouble," Wrex radioed.

"What?" Shepard radioed back.

"It's Cerberus ma'am," Cortez added. "I can tell by their shuttles. There must be at least twenty by my count."

"What the hell is Cerberus doing here?" Shepard shook her head. "You are sure?"

"Taking fire from one now," Cortez yelled back. "Hold on!" The radio crackled and cut out for a moment.

"Cortez? Wrex? Are you there?"

"They are offloading troops. We need to get the females out of here safely," Wrex radioed.

"We are heading to her now," Shepard replied, nodding towards Mordin.

Mordin led them to the female's containment cell, where the krogan sat unaffected by the chaos surrounding her. "Mordin told me someone would be coming for me. I never expected it to be a human. What do you want from me?" the female asked.

"I am here to help. Urdnot Wrex is a friend of mine, we've come to get you out of here." Shepard replied.

"Each level of the base will require you to bypass security protocols with the system on lockdown," Mordin added, typing at the terminal in front of the cell. "I will meet you at the next level. Head to the elevator."

Shepard nodded and called the elevator back down. "What the hell does Cerberus want with an STG base?" Garrus wondered.

"We just attacked one of their bases, retaliation maybe?" James mused.

"I don't think so. The Illusive Man wouldn't send that many troops against STG just for spite. There has to be something he wants here," Shepard replied as the elevator doors opened. She paused as she took a step towards the elevator, seeing an incendiary device sitting on the floor. "Get back!" she yelled as she vaulted over one of the desks, pulling the terminal down with her.

The explosion rippled through the room, sending debris everywhere.

"Is everyone alright?" Garrus yelled.

"The blast got some of the scientists," James groaned, pulling one of the ruined desks off his back.

"Mordin," Shepard coughed from the smoke filling the air. "Cerberus took out the elevator. Is there another way up?"

"Sending you schematics. Be careful Shepard. Cerberus is on this floor. Will keep the female safe as long as I can," Mordin radioed back.

Shepard found an emergency ladder and led the team towards it. The floor above them had already been hit hard by the Cerberus troopers. "These guys work fast!" James yelled, shooting towards a ground of offloading troops.

"Watch the glass!" Shepard yelled back, seeing that the lab they were in contained yahg specimens. She didn't want to have to face another one of them and made sure to check her shots. The Cerberus troops were unrelenting against the understaffed base. Shepard and her team helped the scientists as best they could, but few survived the sheer force of Cerberus' attacks. Shepard pushed them toward the security check point as quickly as they could. Cerberus seemed to be concentrating their effort getting to the krogan's cell, so they had to fight off a large group before finally getting back to Mordin. "Are you alright?" Shepard asked.

"The pod has taken damage. Will repair the shields if I can." Mordin replied.

"How many more checkpoints to go through?"

"One more before we reach the loading area. Will need to be cleared before we leave."

"I am sure Cerberus won't make it easy for us. What do they want with a krogan?" Garrus wondered. "They were trying to kill her."

"Perhaps Cerberus opposes a cure for the genophage," Mordin added.

"They oppose anything that doesn't directly benefit them," Shepard frowned. "Let's get moving. I want to make sure we all get out of here alive."

Shepard overrode the security locks and saw Mordin and the female off again. "How is the next level?" Shepard radioed as she led the team upstairs.

"More Cerberus troops here. Salarians putting up some resistance. Need to hurry, Shepard," Mordin called back.

"Damn it, the salarians need to hold them. We're getting slowed down here."

"They are trying to create a barricade with turrets," Garrus ducked down. A machine gun rattled against the wall that was providing them cover.

"We'll get torn apart if we try to hit them head on. We need to get around it." James replied, tossing a frag grenade over his head.

"Keep them busy," Shepard nodded. "I am going to try to sneak around them."

Shepard activated her tactical cloak and slipped around the far side of the lab they were in. She snuck up on an engineer who was setting up another turret and put an omniblade through his throat before he could alert the other troops to her presence. She huddled down and repositioned the turret to fire on the Cerberus troops instead. "We've got crossfire here. Shepard, is that you?" Garrus radioed.

"Yeah. I'll disable it and you can move up," Shepard called back after the turret had decimated the remaining Cerberus troops. She was pleased to turn Cerberus' own weapons against them.

They fought their way through to the last security station where more Cerberus troops were attempting to get to the krogan female. Shepard quickly overrode security to get them away from the hostile fire. "More troops here on the landing pad. Need assistance, Shepard!" Mordin called.

"Can't we get a fucking break?" Shepard yelled, throwing the last of her grenades at a large group of troopers.

The grenade cleared out the remaining troops, so they were able to head back towards the landing pad. There were a few salarians still alive that were helping defend the area, so Shepard led the team down to help them. "Once you get the landing zone clear, we can land. Hurry up Shepard," Wrex radioed.

"I know, I know!" Shepard snarled back. She had a sharp pain behind her right shoulder and suspected a round had gotten through her shields.

Just when it looked like the Cerberus onslaught was at an end, Cortez radioed down to Shepard. "Commander, they've dropped something from orbit. It looks like a mobile tank of some kind."

"What now?" Shepard sighed, shielding her eyes as she looked up at the object rapidly descending over them.

The tank crashed through the ceiling of one of the buildings and lumbered toward them. Shepard was able to get everyone positioned so that they had a tactical advantage over the atlas tank. The rest of the team kept the atlas busy, while Shepard pelted the operator's window shield with sniper fire. She was eventually able to break through the shield and kill the operator. Cortez quickly landed the shuttle and everyone was able to board safely


	104. Whatever the Odds

It was quiet for a moment as the female and Wrex eyed each other. There was a lot of tense glaring and heavy breathing. Shepard finally spoke up to ease the tension in the shuttle. "Is everything alright?"

"It will be," Wrex finally nodded and offered the female a seat next to him. She sat down with arms crossed and said nothing.

"Joker, where are you?" Shepard grimaced and sat down. Her shoulder was burning from where she had been hit.

"I've been trying to dodge the Cerberus frigate that dropped off all these shuttles. I think I managed to punch through their hull once, but they got away." Joker radioed back. "I'm coming around to rendezvous."

"Good, get Hackett on the comm when I get back," Shepard added. "And send Dr. Chakwas to the cargo bay."

"Everything okay, Shepard?" Garrus asked.

"Just took a round through my shields," Shepard replied. "I'll be fine."

"Could take a look. Am a doctor, after all," Mordin interrupted.

Shepard turned around to allow Mordin to examine the wound. She felt his finger poke her and she wrenched her back in pain. "I don't know how it is with salarians, but that really hurts," Shepard turned back around.

"Minor burn, will heal with ointment. Medical bay will have supplies. Will need new armor, however," Mordin replied.

"I think I will let Dr. Chakwas handle that. I am sure Wrex will keep you busy with the genophage cure."

Dr. Chakwas met them in the cargo bay and escorted Shepard to medical so she could attend to the heat round burn on her shoulder. After getting changed and patched up, Shepard went to the comm room to brief Hackett. "What the hell is Cerberus playing at?" Hackett wondered.

"I wish I knew. With what we found at that base and their actions on Sur'Kesh, nothing would surprise me." Shepard replied. "What about the prothean device?"

"Alliance R&D has named it Project Crucible. We've got all the resources we can spare working on it. Do you think this treaty between the turians and krogan will work?"

"If everyone holds up their end of the bargain and the salarians don't put up a fight. The dalatrass wasn't pleased with the idea."

"The salarians can't hold a grudge for too long. The reapers will be coming for them soon enough. Keep up the good work, Commander," Hackett signed off.

Shepard left the comm only to find Wrex and Primarch Victus arguing in the war room. "What the hell is going on out here?" Shepard asked angrily, her shoulder aching despite the salve Dr. Chakwas had put on it.

"We retrieved the female as Wrex demanded, but he still wants to withhold his troops," Victus replied.

"All krogan must be cured of the genophage before they will spill their own blood for someone else," Wrex replied. "That was the deal."

"We are working on the cure. I assume Mordin is down in the lab as we speak. Prepare your troops, Wrex. We need them to go as soon as you authorize them to move. And I don't want to find you at each others' throats again," Shepard barked, holding her aching shoulder with her left hand.

She left the war room without another word and headed towards the elevator. Specialist Traynor stopped her before she could climb inside. "Can it wait?" Shepard frowned, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed.

"Sorry Commander, it is just that I picked up a distress call from Grissom Academy that a turian scout ship responded to. It seemed odd to me, so I had EDI look over the transmission and she believes it was faked by Cerberus. She said it had the same broken encryption code that lured you into another trap."

"The Collector ship?" Shepard rubbed her eyes. "I remember. So is the academy under attack or not?"

"I believe Cerberus was the cause of the original, genuine distress call and then they faked a response so no would come to help. Most of the students were sent away when the war broke out, but a few still remained. I think Cerberus may be going after them."

"Have Joker head there right away," Shepard sighed. Cerberus seemed to be trying everything to make matters worse. Shepard pushed the button for the loft and leaned her head against the door. She felt listless from the fight and angry about even more Cerberus interference. She wanted someone to vent to and called Kaidan from her terminal. "I don't understand what Cerberus would want with the salarians or the krogan?" Kaidan asked, after Shepard had finished telling him about what happened on Sur'Kesh.

"I don't understand any of their moves. We just got a report that they may have attacked Grissom Academy. We are heading there right now."

"Grissom Academy? Why would they be attacking kids?"

"Kids with incredible intelligence and biotic abilities. They are probably trying to build more super soldiers at the expense of helpless children. They are always one step ahead of us, I don't understand it. Why do they care about the genophage? Why are they studying reaper artifacts? How did they even know about the krogan on Sur'Kesh in the first place?" Shepard let out an angry sigh and leaned further onto the desk, holding her aching shoulder.

"You sound stressed. Are you giving yourself enough time to unwind?"

"I can't unwind, Kaidan. Billions of people are depending on these peace agreements and this prothean device we know nothing about. I just," she ran her hand over her face.

"I want you to get some rest. That's an order. You aren't doing anyone any favors if you burn yourself out. You need to take a break. Come back to the Citadel when you can, I will be getting out of the hospital in a few days. Udina is holding some fancy banquet for my Spectre induction. It would give you the chance to step away for a moment and take a breath."

Shepard was tempted to tell him just to come with her and forget being a Spectre, but she could hear the pride in his voice. He deserved the honor a lot more than she did. "That, that sounds nice," Shepard finally replied. "I'll check in with you after we reach Grissom Academy."

"Promise me you will get some rest at least, even if you can't make the ceremony."

"I will," Shepard bit her lip, knowing she probably wouldn't.

"Shepard," Kaidan sighed. "I know you well enough to recognize that tone. I'm not hanging up until I get a more convincing promise."

"Fine, I will get in bed right now if that will make you happy," Shepard threw her hands up in a sulking tone. She switched the feed from her terminal to her omni-tool and slid into bed. "I just wish you were here," she sighed.

"I wish I was there too," Kaidan replied. "I've thought about my decision every moment I've been awake. I want to be there, but there are things I need to do first. My biotic squad is under the radar, and I want to make sure they are okay. And my dad, I just need to stay put on the Citadel for a little while, in case any news comes in."

"I'm sorry for everything I've put you through," Shepard added, closing her eyes. She suddenly felt a lot of guilt for all she had done in the past few years. She'd helped Cerberus and they'd thanked her with blitz attacks and giant tanks. She'd kept him waiting and made him worry. She hadn't told him she loved him enough times. She could feel tears beginning to well in her eyes and wiped them away.

"Why are you apologizing? I chose to be with you and I have never regretted it. Not for a second. Everything we've been through, it's made us stronger. We'll make it through all of this, I know it."

Shepard bit her lip with a grin, wondering how he could always be so optimistic. Hearing his voice had calmed her down a bit and she began feeling drowsy. She knew she loved him more than anything and she was willing to fight through whatever odds just for the chance to be with him. "Will you tell me that everyday?" she asked. "I need to hear it."

"I will," he laughed, hearing her yawn. "I love you."

"I love you," Shepard snuggled into her pillow. "I will see you soon. I'll make it to that party of Udina's if I have to ride a reaper to get there. We'll get all dressed up and drink our troubles away."

"It's a date then. Sleep well, Shepard," Kaidan added, as she began to drift off


	105. Ascension

It was early in the morning when Shepard was woken from a deep sleep. "What is it?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"We are an hour away from Grissom Academy," Joker called on the comm. "They haven't responded to any of our hails. EDI has been encrypting them just in case Cerberus is listening."

"Alright, I'll be down soon," she grumbled. She leaned back down onto the bed for a moment, remembering that she'd been having a dream about Kaidan. They were living together in a pre-fab apartment on of the colonies. It made Shepard happy because they were living a simple life. Their relationship had always been anything but simple and she wondered what it would have been like to have a normal life with Kaidan.

She quickly changed and took the elevator down to the crew deck to grab a quick breakfast. When she rode back up to the bridge, she found Joker and EDI side by side as usual, exchanging the occasional glance. It was a little strange to see lust blossoming between a man and an unshackled AI, but Shepard was not one to judge. "Anything new?" she asked.

"We''ll be coming out of FTL in a few minutes. The academy has gone silent as far as I can tell. It doesn't look good," Joker replied.

"Do you recall any Cerberus files mentioning Grissom Academy?" Shepard asked EDI.

"Cerberus always maintained an interest in biotic abilities in humans," EDI replied. "Some of the data files recovered by Jack state intentions to infiltrate the school's Ascension Project. There is likely a mole within the station."

"That is just what Cerberus needs, brainwashed biotics to fight for them," Shepard shook her head.

"Yeah, I was thankful for the day we dropped Jack off on Omega. Remember when she and Miranda almost tore the mess hall apart? Good times," Joker added sarcastically.

"You don't miss her?" Shepard laughed. "I think she had a crush on you."

"She wasn't my type, believe me," Joker blushed and glanced over at EDI for a second. "There they are," he added as they slowed from FTL travel.

The academy was surrounded by Cerberus fighters and a large cruiser. "We can't take them all on. Once one of them looks out a window, our cover is blown," Joker mused.

"They will likely have taken control of the docking hangars," EDI replied. "I have found a secure channel that you can attempt to contact the facility with."

"Do it," Shepard ordered. "Grissom Academy. This is the SSV Normandy, we are here to help."

"Normandy? Is this Commander Shepard?" a woman's voice suddenly crackled on the comm.

"You know me?" Shepard asked.

"My name is Kahlee Sanders. I am a good friend of David Anderson. He spoke highly of you."

"What is happening inside? Cerberus has the entire facility surrounded."

"They are trying to get to the students. I've managed to lock them in the hangar bays, but they are close to burning their way out. They've been at it for a while."

"There are still students inside? Why wasn't the school evacuated when the reaper scouts hit Elysium?"

"They were helping build prototypes to help the Alliance. They volunteered to stay. If you can get to the cargo bay on the far side of the facility, I can let you inside."

"Think you can you distract Cerberus while we take the shuttle in?" Shepard asked Joker.

"Piece of cake," Joker nodded.

"I might need you to tap into Cerberus' communications," Shepard turned to EDI. "Is that body up for a walk?"

"Of course Commander," EDI nodded.

"Um, bring her back in one piece," Joker asked as they walked away.

"Bring back my ship in one piece too. Don't get too creative with Cerberus, we just need to draw them away while we evacuate the students."

EDI followed Shepard down to the armory where James and Cortez sat playing cards. "Have you seen Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"Last I saw, he was in a pretty heated conversation with that Primarch," James replied. "What's up?"

"We need to evacuate some students from the academy. Cerberus isn't going to make it easy."

"They never do," James replied and tossed his cards down. "Another time, Esteban."

"Next time, we are playing on a real table where you can't cheat," Cortez laughed and headed over to prep the shuttle.

"James cheats at cards?" Shepard cast an eye at him as he began to pull his greaves on. "No wonder he was always beating me while I was locked up."

"I would never cheat on you Lola," James smiled. "You just have a tell."

"Oh really?" Shepard squinted and squeezed her chest plate over her head.

"Your pupils get really big when you have a good hand and you breath a little heavier. Just like when you saw Major Alenko back on Earth," he laughed. "I imagine you two are close."

Shepard bit her lip, but said nothing. She pulled on the rest of her armor and climbed into the shuttle. "How is that distraction coming?" she called up to Joker.

"Ready when you are," he replied.

"Let's do it then," Shepard added as James climbed inside and shut the door.

Cortez flew the shuttle out and the Normandy quickly left them behind, heading straight for the fighter blockade. The ship banked right suddenly and the fighters easily took the bait and began a pursuit. "Good, it worked, take us in," Shepard ordered to Cortez and sat back down.

They found the cargo bay and were let inside by Sanders. "I think Cerberus has broken through the hangar bay, they are trying to get through the door of the server room I am locked in," she radioed.

"We are on our way," Shepard nodded at EDI and James.

They quickly found a small band of troopers with cutting torches, attempting to get through a set of doors. They were easily taken by surprise and Sanders was able to let them in. "Where are the students?" Shepard asked, assuming the students would be with Sanders.

"I don't know. Someone cut off our internal communications when Cerberus attacked, I've been trying to get it reestablished."

"We think Cerberus might have had a mole in the facility. See what you can do EDI."

As EDI tried to get the communication system back up, Shepard turned back to Sanders. "How long have you known Anderson?"

"Twenty years or so. I was working with him when Saren betrayed him. I'm glad you finally put a stop to him."

"It wasn't soon enough," Shepard replied, squinting at one of the security screen that had come back online. "There, there are people there. Where is that?" she pointed.

"That is Orion Hall. It's not far from here."

"Stay here and keep an eye on us. We'll bring the students back and get them on our shuttle," Shepard nodded at Sanders


	106. Escape from Grissom Academy

***A/N: Sorry again for another long delay. But I'm all moved and settled in. I kept telling myself to set aside time to write, but that didn't go so well….and I finally traded in my Xbox for another one cause the motherboard was fried…..and I left my copy of Mass Effect in the disk drive….. so I will try to update as fast as I can :D This is a quick one shot, so sorry about any grammar/spelling/brain farts I've missed.***

Shepard led the team back out the doors and headed towards Orion Hall. From the map Sanders had given her, it didn't look far away, but Shepard was expecting trouble from Cerberus. It wasn't long before they found a pair of troopers that had surrounded a lone student. The student had put up a barrier that was keeping the troopers at bay for the moment. Shepard signaled for the team to be careful with their shots and crept closer to the group before taking them down quickly. The student remained huddled inside his barrier sphere, not bothering to look up after the gunfire.

"Hey, it's alright we are here to help," Shepard bent down.

"Who are you?" he finally looked up.

"Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy. We are going to get you out of here. I am going to send you back with one of my people. Kahlee Sanders has the security room locked down, you will be safe there," Shepard replied.

"Commander Shepard? My teacher told us about you. You are here to rescue us?"

"That's the plan. How did you get separated from the rest of the group?"

"I went looking for my sister Seanne. She was working in one of the labs when Cerberus attacked."

"We'll find her," Shepard promised. "Vega, escort him back to security and catch back up with us."

"Yes ma'am," James nodded and motioned for the young man to follow him.

Shepard moved forward with EDI, as Cerberus began broadcasting over the station's loudspeaker. They were warning the students about Alliance soldiers sent to kill them. "Well, Cerberus obviously knows we are here," Shepard frowned and looked up at one of the speakers. "Sanders," she radioed. "I've got a student heading your way. Can you do anything about the loudspeakers?"

"Cerberus has put up firewalls in the communication array. It is going to take a while," Sanders replied.

"The cruiser likely alerted the troops in the station about our presence when it began pursuit of the Normandy," EDI added.

"I just hope Joker is having an easier time than we are," Shepard replied, putting a heat round in the speaker for good measure.

They continued towards Orion Hall, fighting off the small bands of Cerberus troops they encountered. James caught up with them quickly after leaving the student with Sanders. They nearly passed his sister Seanne, but James spotted her out of the corner of his eye, hiding underneath a lab table. "Are you Seanne?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, how do you know my name?" she asked. "You aren't with Cerberus?"

"We are here to help. Your brother is safe with Kahlee Sanders in security."

"Do you want me to escort her back too?" James asked.

"No, I am fine. I know where to go," Seanne insisted.

"I cleared the halls and sealed the doors on the way back, but take this just in case," James said, hanging Seanne his sidearm. "You know how to use these, right?"

"I was the best marksman in my class," Seanne nodded and took the pistol from him.

"We are sending another student your way," Shepard radioed as Seanne took off down the hall.

"That's great, but how far are you from Orion Hall? Cerberus is hitting the students hard. They have an instructor with them, but they can't hold out much longer," Sanders radioed back.

"We've got two more corridors to pass. Tell them we are on our way," Shepard motioned for them to move out.

Cerberus had sent an atlas tank against the helpless students, but they were defending themselves well. With the tank preoccupied with the students, Shepard was able to put a precise sniper round through the screen, killing the operator in an instant. "What the fuck Shepard!" a familiar voice called down from the balcony above them. Jack jumped down and stormed toward her with a look of rage on her face. She shoved Shepard backwards and into James' arms.

"It is nice to see you too," Shepard replied, regaining her balance.

"What did I tell you about Cerberus?" Jack asked, looking ready to hit Shepard again.

"Hey, I am here to help. What the hell are you doing here?" Shepard asked.

"I am a teacher here," Jack replied, glaring at Vega, who had stepped between the two women to prevent more violence. "You got yourself a big burly bodyguard now? And what the fuck is this?" she added, looking at EDI. "A sexbot?"

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Jack," EDI replied.

"Obviously that's EDI, long story, and this is James Vega. He is with the Alliance."

"What kind of crazy shit have you gotten yourself into?" Jack continued looking at EDI and shook her head.

"Me? How did you go from Omega to Grissom Academy?" Shepard asked.

"When I found out about the Ascension Program, I wanted to make sure no one else was being put through what I had to go through. But this place is pretty slick. They are doing good things with these kids. I dropped your name and the Alliance hired me as an instructor."

"That's, good to hear," Shepard tried not to sound doubtful. She had never pegged Jack as an educator of any sort.

"Yeah, I know it is all peachy and shit, but we can rehash the last six months later. We need to get the fuck out of here."

"Commander, the Cerberus cruiser is heading back to the station with reinforcements. I've only got a small window to rendezvous with the Normandy safely," Cortez radioed.

"We are a ways away from the shuttle bay. How much time?" Shepard radioed back.

"If we don't fly out in the next few minutes, that cruiser will blow us out of the sky."

"Damn it, we can't make it," Shepard swore. "Get to safety Cortez, we'll figure something out."

"Cerberus still has shuttles in the cargo bay. If you can get there, maybe we can use them," Sanders interrupted. "The shuttle bays are still locked down, so they will have land in the cargo bay first. You will just have to get through the troops that are guarding the bays."

"Let's move then. Are your students ready to go?" Shepard asked.

"Ready as they will ever be," Jack nodded.

"Follow us out, we'll draw their fire," Shepard ordered and headed in the direction of the shuttle bays.

The Cerberus forces on the way to the shuttle bay were much larger than what they had encountered before, but with the support of the biotic students, they were able to make their way through quickly. They found another small group of students that had been hiding in one of the labs, David Archer among them. "You are Commander Shepard, I remember you," David nodded at her.

"How are you feeling?" Shepard asked. "The last time I saw you, you were in pretty bad shape."

"Better. Things are quiet now," David replied.

He and the other students joined Jack's team behind them and they moved on. They stumbled onto a lone engineer who was repairing an atlas tank that had stalled and took care of him quickly. "If we could get this thing working, it'd give us one hell of an escort," James smiled slightly, excited by the giant piece of machinery.

"Be my guest," Shepard motioned.

"It is just a faulty arming sequence," EDI scanned the tank. "I will have it repaired in one minute."

"I bet it is pretty nice having a walking computer to follow you around," Jack said quietly to Shepard.

"Joker is pleased by it," Shepard grinned.

"Oh god," Jack rolled her eyes, making a gaging sound with her throat.

James climbed into the atlas with a wide-eyed grin and escorted them to the shuttle bays. The remaining forces left behind to defend the bays was decimated by the tank. Shepard got the students on one shuttle, with Sanders driving, and rode with Jack, James, and EDI in the other. They quickly boarded the Normandy before the cruiser could give chase again.

The students were in good spirits when they offloaded, laughing and joking around. "This is a military ship, treat it like one," Jack yelled at the kids as they headed towards the elevator. They were all starving and ready to eat again. Shepard could see something bothering Jack and held back to talk to her.

"Everything alright? You should be happy we got everyone out safely," Shepard asked.

"That's the thing, Shepard. You got them out safely. These guys are being trained to go into combat, but they have no idea what to expect," Jack sat down and put her feet up on a crate.

"You don't think they are ready to see action?" Shepard nodded and sat down across from her.

"I mean, you saw how shitty some of those warp fields were. They did pretty well with barriers, but shit, I don't know. Maybe they'd be better as support."

"Have you spoken with the Alliance about this?"

"It's the fucking military. They just want results."

"But not at the cost of losing men. If they can better serve by providing protection for ground units, why not let them? They still get to see action, but they will have fire support like today."

"You always were the fucking strategist," Jack smiled a little.

"I will take that as a compliment," Shepard grinned.

"What now?" Jack asked.

"I will contact Admiral Hackett and see about getting you transferred to a ground unit. Everyone seems to be using the Citadel as a base, so we can head there."

"Sounds like a plan. You do pretty well for someone who went to prison for six months," Jack teased.

"It was house arrest," Shepard made a rude gesture at her.

She changed out of her armor and headed up to her cabin after setting a course for the Citadel. She hoped to be able to catch Kaidan's induction ceremony and called him after she'd showered. "Is everything alright?" he asked. "I tried to call earlier, but nothing went through."

"Just more trouble with Cerberus. We got everyone out safely, but Cerberus just being there was disturbing. Who knows what they would've done to those students?" she replied.

"All that matters is that everyone is safe."

"We are heading back your way now, so I might be able to make that banquet after all."

"Good, I'll be honored to have you there. Dr. Michel has given me the all clear and Udina has arranged the banquet for tomorrow night. I am ready to get back to it."

"I'll bet," Shepard grinned.

"Well, it looks like my dinner is here. I guess I will see you tomorrow unless you want to watch me choke down this mystery meat patty," he grinned. "I'm glad you are coming. I can't wait to see you."

"I'll be sure to dress up," Shepard kissed the screen goodbye.

After the last few weeks, she would be glad for one night to take her mind off things. She browsed through some of the stores still open on the Citadel and ordered a dress just for the occasion. She spent an exorbinent amount, but if nothing else, it would be one last nice thing to have before the galaxy was destroyed. She went to bed anxious to see Kaidan, but fearful at having to say goodbye again.


	107. Big Stupid Jellyfish

The Normandy was set to arrive on the Citadel in the early afternoon. The ship was unusually quiet and Shepard soon found out some of Jack's students had snuck some brandy from the med bay and had gotten drunk with some of the crew. Shepard didn't care much, knowing full well the amount of stress everyone was under. When she looked in on Dr. Chakwas, she found her hiding out in the AI core. "Sorry about the kids. I will buy you some more brandy," Shepard sat down on top of one of the servers. "And I'll get Mordin out of your lab as soon as possible."

"Oh, it's fine," Chakwas waved her off, looking up from the data pad she was reading. "I've been able to learn quite a bit about krogan physiology. And the kids only took the cheap stuff. My Serrice Ice is locked up tight."

"So what are you doing hiding out in here?"

Chakwas let out a sigh before replying. "Being on this ship again, it's brought up some bad memories. I thought I'd gotten over the collector attack, but sometimes I can almost hear the crew screaming for help while I stood there, paralyzed. This is just a good place to clear my head."

"I'm sorry, I had no idea," Shepard frowned and sat down next to Chakwas on the floor. "If you want to go back to the R & D labs, I understand."

"No, there is no where else I'd rather be. We are fighting for our lives out here, I want to be near the people I care about the most." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I've been talking to Adams down in engineering, it's nothing serious, but we've sort of hit it off. It is nice to have some one else to talk to for a change. Besides you and anyone who happens to gets sick on the ship."

"Well, if you need me to clear a deck so you two can have some alone time, I will," Shepard smiled and patted her on the knee.

"I know I can always count on you," Chakwas smiled and gave Shepard a hug. "I better go check on those students. A few of them got sick and I am worried about them getting dehydrated."

Shepard climbed back to her feet and checked in on Mordin and Eve before heading back up to her cabin to go through some reports and emails. There was a long message from a fellow spectre that Shepard glanced over and a brief message from Miranda. The spectre was inquiring about Kasumi and Miranda wanted to meet somewhere discreet. Shepard hoped she would have time before the banquet to get in touch with both of them, but seeing Kaidan was her main priority. She tried his omni-tool, but got no response.

When they arrived on the Citadel, Shepard went straight to the hospital. The woman at the front desk told Shepard Kaidan had checked out earlier. Shepard walked back outside and was about to try his omni-tool again, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hey you," Kaidan grinned when she turned around. He slid his arms around her and buried his face in her neck as he hugged her. She was relieved to see him up and walking again and hugged him tightly.

"I was just looking for you," Shepard smiled.

"The doctor ran one more test this morning and gave me the all clear. I've been out looking for a suit to wear to the banquet all morning."

"And filling up on some much need good food?" Shepard grinned and wiped a little bit of brown-colored sauce from the corner of his mouth.

"I ran into Joker when I was eating and he told me you'd come here. I didn't want to miss you," he blushed a little, embarrassed that he hadn't cleaned up well enough. He walked next to her, grabbing her hand in his.

"What time is the banquet? I've got some contacts I'd like to talk to before then."

"It starts around seven, but I thought maybe we could go for drinks before. I am a little nervous about all this."

"Come on, you are perfect for this job. What's to be nervous about?"

"Well, following your reputation for starters," he smiled.

"What, the spectre who stole a stealth reconnaissance ship, blew up a mass relay, and punched a reporter?" Shepard laughed.

"You've had your ups and downs, but you've saved a lot of lives. You've never done anything that wasn't necessary. I'm proud to be following your example," he added, squeezing her hand tenderly.

Shepard stopped in her tracks and stood on her toes to give him a long kiss. "So, the doctor's given you the all clear?"

"Mmhm," he laughed with his lips still pressed against hers. They embraced for a moment before Kaidan finally pulled away with a little sigh. "Well, I still need to find a suit. The wards were too crowded this morning to find anything. So, uh, I guess I will see you tonight? Udina's got me a new place on the Citadel. Close to your old apartment."

"Is that so?" Shepard grinned and gave his backside a little squeeze. "I will be waiting impatiently for you to give me the tour."

She left Kaidan begrudgingly and headed to the docking bay where Miranda had asked to meet. If the docking bays were any indication of how busy the wards were, Kaidan would be lucky to make it through the crowd. Shepard could barely walk without having to brush past someone at times. The crowd was a vast melange of species whose worlds had already been hit by the reapers. There was more than a handful of batarians who had been fortunate enough to be outside their home system. The rest were turian and human, with a few stray asari and krogan who were more than likely citadel workers or spouses.

Shepard didn't know how she would be able to find Miranda in the endless crowd, but was suddenly pulled aside near a bank of information kiosks. "Miranda, I didn't think I'd be able to find you," Shepard nodded, as she turned around to see who had grabbed her arm.

"I thought it would be best to meet in a crowd. Best for both of us," Miranda replied.

"What's going on? Are you in trouble?"

"It's nothing I can't handle. I just wanted to check in, I couldn't contact you when you were locked up. I'd been keeping an eye on Cerberus like you asked."

"Any idea what they are up to? They always seem one step ahead of me. Did you know of any research that involved reaper technology? Some of their shock troopers look like they've been implanted."

"No, the cells were very restrictive about information, but it wouldn't surprise me. I've already had my share of run ins with them."

"They've been trying to track you down?"

"Yes. The Illusive Man contacted me to tell me that I was no longer part of the Cerberus plan. Then he sent men to kill me."

"They certainly have been busy. The Mars archives, Sur'Kesh, Grissom Academy? I didn't think Cerberus had that many resources."

"The Illusive Man stepped up his recruiting tactics during the collector attacks. Plenty of desperate people joined just so they could afford to ship their families somewhere safe. I am sure it is no different now, with the reapers destroying everything. It's a mess Shepard. I tried contacting my sister, but," Miranda paused and looked out at the crowded docking bay.

"You haven't spoken to her?"

"For quite a while. That is why I am here on the Citadel. I need to talk to some contacts and the Citadel is the best place to meet these days. I know my father is involved somehow."

"But you were the only one who knew where she was going?"

"You don't know the reach my father has. I've just got to keep digging and I'll find her."

"Well, keep me informed and let me know if there is anything I can do to help. You know how to get in touch with me."

"Thanks, Shepard, I appreciate it. I know we were never close, but you, you're the closest thing I have to a friend right now."

"Stay safe, Miranda," Shepard nodded.

"You too," Miranda replied, before slipping into the endless crowd.

Shepard had hoped to get some insight into Cerberus from Miranda, but she seemed to have enough on her plate without risking getting caught by hunters sent by the Illusive Man. Shepard wound her way back through the mass of people and headed for the Spectre Office near the embassies. "Agent Shepard, it has been two years and 172 days since your last visit. Will you be purchasing more weapons today?" the turian officer asked when she scanned her ID at the front desk.

"Uh, weapons, yeah? Pull out your best stuff, I just have to talk to Agent Bau," Shepard replied. She could never resist weapons shopping, but still had a lot to do before the banquet.

"That is him over there," the officer pointed. "I've got some top of the line stuff I will bring out to you."

Shepard walked over to the desk Bau was sitting at, while the officer left to pull out some weapons stock. "You're Jondum Bau?" Shepard asked when the salarian looked up at her.

"You must be Agent Shepard? I am glad to see you received my message. I was wondering what you know about Kasumi Goto. I've been tracking her for years and understand you had contact with her in the past. I believe she's sent me some information that is quite disturbing."

"What have you got?"

"Reports that top hanar officials have been indoctrinated, as well as a secret Alliance black ops team that caused a massacre at a batarian research facility that was studying reaper technology."

"And the two fit together somehow?" Shepard knitted her brow, wondering where Bau was going with this information.

"The hanar were the one's that led the Alliance to the facility in the first place. The hanar had been running gray market trade operations with the batarians, so they knew about the facility. I believe the hanar operatives may have gotten ahold of some of the reaper technology. Judging from what we already know of indoctrination, it may already be affecting them."

Shepard was silent for a moment, wondering how Kasumi could get mixed up with something so complicated. She remembered Keiji's graybox and figured the information he'd wanted Kasumi to delete must have pertained to it. "Where are these hanar operatives now?" Shepard finally asked.

"Most of them have diplomatic status here on the Citadel currently. If I make any inquiries with their embassy, I fear we will scare them off. I've been covertly monitoring transmissions to the hanar homeworld. I understand you are quite skilled with hacking, perhaps you could lend your assistance. The transmissions are getting more frequent and are hard to track by myself."

"I'll certainly do what I can. Where is the best access point?"

"There is a data terminal for guests just outside the hanar embassy. You should be able to reroute through that mainframe to reach the terminals inside the embassy."

"I'll head there now," Shepard replied, noting that she still had a few hours before the banquet started. She was sure she could get some information for Bau before then.

She returned back to where the officer had set out some of the weapons stock and quickly choose a few new guns to add to the armory. She had the guns sent to the Normandy and headed toward to hanar embassy. Kasumi uncloaked suddenly next to Shepard, making her jump and scream a little. "Bau is a strange little fellow, isn't he?" Kasumi laughed.

"For fuck's sake Kasumi, why do you always do that?" Shepard shrugged off a frightened chill.

"Sorry. I forgot how easily you scare," Kasumi grinned.

"Well, how would you like it if someone just appeared out of nowhere and said 'hello'? And how and the hell did you get mixed up in all of this?'"

"Bau has been after me for years. Apparently stealing priceless turian artifacts from an ambassador is a big no-no. I decided to leak the information on Keiji's graybox, just in case there was an indoctrinated jellyfish running around the Citadel. Er, floating around. You've got enough trouble ahead of you."

"It suppose it helps that the Hegemony is all but destroyed as well," Shepard frowned. "They didn't need any more reasons to hate us after what happened with the Alpha relay."

Shepard saw the console Bau had mentioned and was quickly able to get into the embassy's data files using a few clever hacks. "What have you been up to lately, besides dodging spectres?" Shepard asked as she wrote a few sequences of code that would hide her location from any security protocols.

"After you got locked up, I tracked down a few more people that were involved in Keiji's death and then I took a little break. I needed a little 'me' time. Though I have to say, I do miss adventuring with you."

"I could always use more tech savvy people on the Normandy. I've got a whole pile of Cerberus data files that need decrypting."

"Sign me up!" Kasumi patted Shepard on the back.

Kasumi chatted with Shepard as she worked her way through the hanar data files and was finally able to pinpoint a lot of suspicious activities from one hanar in particular. She returned to speak with Bau, with Kasumi following close by via cloak. "We should confront this Zymandis immediately," Bau replied, looking over the data Shepard had uncovered.

Shepard glanced at a clock, noticing it was getting closer to seven. "Just give me a minute," Shepard stepped away to call Kaidan.

"Hey, I was just about to call you," Kaidan answered. "You all ready to go?"

"This is taking longer than I expected. I may have to meet you at the banquet. I'm so sorry. I'll buy you a drink later."

"It's an open bar," Kaidan laughed.

"Perfect, I'll buy you two free drinks then," Shepard tried to laugh. She really hated standing up Kaidan, but didn't want to tell Bau to go it alone.

"Okay, well I will just see you there then."

Shepard turned back to Bau and nodded that she was ready to go. She hoped they could get the hanar into custody without an incident. She still needed to pick up her dress and shower before the banquet started and anxiously followed behind Bau as they headed back towards the hanar embassy. "Big stupid jellyfish," Shepard muttered under her breath, hoping she wouldn't miss Kaidan's big night.


	108. An Evening in Navy

The apprehension of Zymandis proved to be only slightly less difficult than Shepard had feared. Zymandis believed that because the protheans were now collectors and served the reapers, that the hanar should serve the reapers as well. It was clear that the reapers were using Zymandis to allow them access to the hanar homeworld, which was fortified with automated defenses. Zymandis told them it was too late and that he had already begun uploading a virus to sabotage the defenses.

"We've got to stop it!" Bau lunged for the console, but Zymandis swatted him with a tentacle and knocked him to the ground. The human office worker next to Zymandis rushed at Shepard and tried to wrestle her side arm away from her.

"I've got it!" Kasumi ran in behind them and quickly sprung into action, jumping over the desk and straight for the console. Shepard was able to get control of her pistol and fired a shot into the officer worker and one into Zymandis.

'"Goto!" Bau climbed to his feet after pushing Zymandis' body off him.

"It's done," Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief. The console began to beep immediately and she turned back towards Shepard and Bau. "The console is rigged, it's going to explode," Kasumi yelled before disappearing in the blast. The shockwave knocked both Shepard and Bau from their feet. The room shook and debris rained down on top of them.

"Are you alright Shepard?" Bau finally coughed and pulled a piece of the wall paneling off his legs.

"I am fine," Shepard held her head. Her ears were ringing from the blast.

"Ms. Goto was here the whole time. She must have been following us," Bau climbed to his feet and looked at the damage from the explosion.

"There is no way she could have survived the blast," Shepard replied, noting the sly wink she'd seen Kasumi give her just before the explosion. "At least she saved the hanar defenses."

"What is going on? Is everyone alright in here?" a C-Sec officer yelled, running in from the lobby.

"We are all fine," Bau replied. "Spectre business. Everything has been taken care of."

The C-Sec officer left to evacuate the rest of the embassy and allowed them to deal with the mess in the main office. "I assume you have other places to be Commander, so I will handle all the formalities and paperwork," Bau replied. "I appreciate your assistance. I am sorry about Ms. Goto. Even though I was trying to apprehend her, I admired her abilities. They were almost salarian."

"I am sure she would be honored to hear that," Shepard nodded, knowing Kasumi was more than likely standing right next to her.

Shepard quickly said goodbye to Bau and hailed a cab. It was already 6:15 and she still needed to get ready before meeting Kaidan at the banquet. As soon as she shut the door to the cab, Kasumi uncloaked in the seat next to her. "You know, I almost thought you were dead." Shepard frowned at her.

"What better way to get Bau off my trail than fake my own death? And he still gets credit for stopping a rogue hanar."

"Still, I'd prefer not to get blown up tonight. I have things to do."

"Like Kaidan?" Kasumi grinned.

"I am sure that will happen at some point in the evening. If we can manage to find time without someone eavesdropping on us," Shepard rolled her eyes, but tried to hide a smile.

"Will there be anyone interesting and exciting at this party?" Kasumi wondered.

"A lot of Alliance big wigs and human philanthropists I imagine. But I'd prefer to keep Kaidan's big night free of grand larceny."

"Hey, I am just in it for the open bar!" Kasumi laughed.

"I suppose you can tag along, but it is black tie only."

"I am sure I can find something," Kasumi raised an eyebrow.

After picking up Shepard's dress, Kasumi directed the cab to a glorified storage facility, inexplicably filled with some of her newest acquisitions. Almost everything was still in the cases and very expensive. "Good hell Kasumi," Shepard shook her head.

"Most of this is very old. I have stolen anything in, maybe three months," Kasumi replied, picking through a few boxes that had garment bags in them.

"Glad you are using some self restraint," Shepard added sarcastically as she pulled out the dress she had ordered. It was a strapless dress of simple dark navy fabric. It was tight around the torso and waist and flared out just below the knee.

"Simple, but elegant," Kasumi looked at the dress. "I think I will wear this." The dress she held up was leather and cut low in the bodice.

"Don't forget the whip and ball gag," Shepard smirked and pulled her shirt over her head. "Shit," she added with a sigh. "I didn't buy new underwear." She was wearing standard Alliance issue under her uniform at the moment and had wanted to put on something more fitting for the evening.

"I am sure I've got something in here," Kasumi poked around at some other boxes.

"I think I'll just go commando underneath," Shepard wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to be running around in stolen lingerie."

The two women got dressed quickly and managed to get to the banquet just after seven. Shepard had rarely seen Kasumi without her hood covering most of her face, but she was quite pretty and cleaned up well. Kaidan had only put Shepard on the guest list, but Kasumi slipped passed the door greeter in usual fashion.

Shepard saw Kaidan cornered by Udina and the asari councillor and hesitated to approach. He still looked nervous, but confident and handsome in his new attire. He'd found a plain black suit and had paired it with a dark navy undershirt. Shepard thought they would've made quite the fetching couple, if they could publicly admit their romance.

As soon as Kaidan spotted her, his face lit up and he excused himself. "You made it?" he grinned widely, touching her waist furtively. They both knew they couldn't paw at each other, but could barely contain themselves. "You look amazing."

"You don't look too bad yourself Major," Shepard smiled, feeling suddenly flushed and giddy. She could feel her heart racing a little faster and was happy Kaidan still made her feel that way.

"Ahem," Kasumi cleared her throat, caught awkwardly beside the two lovers.

"Kaidan, this is my good friend Kasumi Goto. She's going to be joining the Normandy as a, tech contractor," Shepard paused to think of a good lie.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Kaidan nodded and shook Kasumi's hand.

"You never told me how handsome he was?" Kasumi teased.

"She hasn't?" Kaidan played along and cast a sly look at Shepard.

"Everything but!" Kasumi laughed and patted Kaidan on the arm.

"Hey look, the bar," Shepard replied nervously, as Kaidan gave her a questioning look about what intimate details the two women had gossiped about.

"Commander Shepard," Udina interrupted with his perpetually snide tone. "I didn't expect to see you here?"

"The Normandy needed to refuel before heading to Tuchanka and I am here to support the Spectres and my former shipmate. Kaidan is a great addition," Shepard grinned through her dislike of Udina. He'd seemed to imply in his tone, that Shepard should be out fighting the reapers. She gritted her teeth, hating having to justify spending one night for herself.

"Perhaps you might say a few words?" the asari councillor, Tevos added, coming up behind Udina.

"I'd be honored," Shepard replied, flashing a nervous glance at Kaidan. He knew she was never great with speeches.

"We'll be starting the formal ceremony after the dinner service," Udina replied dryly. "If you will excuse me, I need to make sure everything else is in order."

When Udina and Tevos had left, Shepard left out a loud breath and looked down at the floor. "Don't worry about Udina," Kaidan smiled at Shepard and slid his fingers across her hand gently. "I invited you here and you deserve a night off. And I know you'll think of a great speech."

"I am not so sure," Shepard frowned.

"Come on," Kaidan lifted her chin up. "It looks like Kasumi is getting us drinks.


	109. One Night Together

**A/N: Spoiler alert! Another love scene coming up. :D I have been keeping the more graphic sexual descriptions down since is getting a little bossy with regulations and junk, but I may start posting some smutty scenes on a Tumblr page or something. I don't know, I will add links on my profile page if it ever happens and you are into that kind of business. :D**

Shepard followed Kaidan to the bar where Kasumi had already ordered drinks. "I hope beers are okay for everyone?" Kasumi asked, sliding three beers away from the bartender.

"Shepard prefers to drink the sweet stuff that makes you sick in the morning," Kaidan teased.

"I'll take hers," James appeared out of nowhere and grabbed one of the beers. He was wearing an Alliance dress uniform that barely fit his burly frame. Shepard thought he looked quite amusing as he gave her a nod of recognition and downed his beer quickly.

"James and I grabbed a drink when you couldn't make it," Kaidan explained.

Shepard felt Kasumi grab her arm and turned to she her staring wide eyed at James and mouthing 'wow.' Shepard smiled a little and rolled her eyes. "Lieutenant Vega, I'd like to introduce you to Kasumi Goto. She is coming aboard the Normandy to do some tech work."

"I didn't know Lola had hot friends," James grinned and clinked his beer glass against Kasumi's. "It is a pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Likewise!" Kasumi giggled girlishly and took a long sip of her beer.

"Don't let James fool you, Kasumi. He is as full of shit as anyone else," Shepard teased.

"I think she should get to make that observation on her own," James sneered back deviously. "Ms. Goto, may I escort you to the buffet table?" he added, holding out his arm towards her.

"Of course," Kasumi grinned and joined arms with him.

"Who's Lola?" Kaidan turned back towards Shepard as Kasumi and James walked off.

"I have no idea," Shepard signaled towards the bartender. "Can I get whatever is in that green bottle?" she pointed towards some sweet asari concoction she couldn't recall the name of.

"To one night together," Kaidan toasted, when Shepard had received her drink.

"One night in many more to come, if I have anything to do with it," Shepard smiled and touched her glass to his.

Just when Shepard felt she could finally relax, she saw the reporter, Khalisah al-Jilani, heading straight towards them with a camera in tow. "Commander Shepard," Khalisah yelled loudly. "I assume your presence here means you support this waste of Alliance funds. Don't you think the money used to put on this banquet could have been better spent helping the war effort? You are supposedly out forming treaties, yet here you are rubbing elbows with Alliance brass so quickly after fleeing Earth?"

Shepard took an angry step forward before Kaidan held her back. "How dare you speak to her like that?" Kaidan confronted Khalisah, continuing to hold Shepard back. "The Council put on this dinner and Shepard has done nothing but fight since day one. I don't see you doing anything to help the war effort."

"Doesn't the fact that you've slept with Commander Shepard in the past cloud your judgement of her? Was that the reason you were chosen to follow her into the Spectres?"

"Kaidan has earned his place. I never did him any favors. Don't you dare insunuate otherwise," Shepard balled up her fists.

"What are you going to do Shepard? Hit me again?" Khalisah sneered, as James and Kasumi returned with two large plates of food.

"No, but I doubt you were on the guest list. My friend James here is going to escort you out. I don't think tabloid lowlifes are welcome here," Shepard motioned towards James.

"Come along you," James said, handing his plate to Kasumi. He grabbed Khalisah's camera and twisted the lens off in one fluid motion.

"You won't get away with this," Khalisah vowed, struggling against James' hand around her arm. "The people deserve to hear the truth."

"Maybe when you start writing the truth. You've spread rumors and lies about a lot of my Alliance friends," James pulled her along. "And I think you even wrote an article about me once."

"Let go of me," Khalisah pulled her arm away violently. "I am not going to let you bully me. I know the way out." She grabbed her broken camera from James and stormed out of the room angrily.

"Well, now that that's over, let's eat," James suggested. He took Kasumi by the arm again and sat down at a nearby table.

"It's going to be a long night," Shepard sighed and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp.

"Come on, let's get something to eat and relax. No one can spoil this evening," Kaidan rubbed her shoulder gently.

Shepard ordered another drink and followed Kaidan to the large tables of food. The spread did seem a little extravagant, but Shepard couldn't admit that Khalisah was right. She grabbed a large plate of food and sat down at James' table. Kaidan made good company and managed to cheer her up. They chatted about trivial things and shared stories with James and Kasumi, who were getting along like fast friends. They held hands under the table and both got a little tipsy on the drinks being brought around.

When it came time for the induction ceremony, Shepard wobbled a little when she stood up to make her speech. She managed to be fairly eloquent, though she nearly slipped up a few times getting overly personal with her comments. When she sat back down, Kaidan's eyes were misty.

"Um, thank you, Commander," Kaidan cleared his throat and stood up to speak. "It is a honor to follow you into the Spectres. I have learned a lot from your example, more than you know. What the Spectres embody, is something I have always aimed to achieve. I promise to serve with honor and integrity. I want to thank the Council for giving me this opportunity."

Kaidan received a round of applause and was welcomed by each councillor individually, before he was sworn in. Eventually people began trailing out of the banquet, James and Kasumi among them. James has going to give Kasumi a private tour of the retrofitted Normandy. Shepard reminded them to stay out of trouble and saw them off. "Well, now that all that fuss over me is finally done," Kaidan smiled, still a little drunk. "How about we get out of here?"

"I think that is a fine idea," Shepard replied and took him by the hand.

They hailed a cab and Kaidan gave the driver confused directions to his new apartment. They groped and kissed each other for the entire cab ride and barely made it through Kaidan's door before clothes began to come off. Everything was left in a messy pile, as they tumbled onto Kaidan's unmade bed. Shepard was a little more tentative with Kaidan at first, knowing he had just gotten out of the hospital. When Kaidan showed no signs of holding back his passion, however, Shepard let loose as well.

They made love until every last bit of energy had been drained from their bodies. Shepard lost count at how many times Kaidan had brought her to climax, caressed her, and started all over again. She finally lie wrapped in Kaidan's arms, forgetting for a moment that she had to leave in the morning. She felt nothing but an aura of drunken bliss across her entire body.

"I've missed this," Kaidan let out a long sigh, his face nestled against hers.

"I bet you have," Shepard grinned, gently stroking the edge of his hip.

"Not just the sex Shepard," he added, hugging her closer. "Being this close to you. Feeling each breath you take, feeling your heart beating. I prayed and bargained to feel that again. Now I have a second chance. Not many people get that."

"I'd give anything to get that time back," Shepard said quietly, lacing her fingers around his.

"Me too," he sighed again.

They fell asleep wrapped in each others' arms and the tangle of bed linens around them. The apartment was cool, but Shepard was comfortable just lying next to Kaidan's warm skin. She finally slept without nightmares or dreams of anxiety. She woke up once with a chill, realizing she had rolled over away from Kaidan. She snuggled back up next to him and quickly fell back asleep.

She was awoken in the morning by her omni-tool ringing, along with a feeling of nausea and a splitting headache. "What is it?" she croaked, her throat dry from the overexertion they'd put themselves through last night.

"Both Primarch Victus and Wrex have been looking for you. I was under the general impression that it was important. And apparently Kasumi is back on the ship. Next time warn me, so I can hide my stuff." Joker answered.

"I will head to the Normandy as soon as I can," Shepard replied, seeing Kaidan had also woken up. "And I doubt Kasumi has any interest in your porno stash."

"Yeah, keep the cheap shots coming," Joker laughed.

"Morning," Kaidan smiled at her when she'd shut off her omni-tool.

She only groaned and closed her eyes again, curling her body tightly next to his. "If I move, I am going to be sick."

"That's why you should switch to beer," Kaidan smiled and started to rub her back.

"But it's so bitter. I hate it," she grumbled. "Besides, you drank your fair share last night, you aren't even a little hung over?"

"I've got a little bit of a headache and my back is sore, but I think you did that to me," he grinned and nuzzled her neck gently.

"And if I wasn't so damn sick, I'd do it again," she smiled a little and poked a finger into his chest.

"I will start you a hot shower. Hot showers always make you feel better."

"You know me well," she grumbled again, pressing her hands against her stomach. She made a little whimpering noise and pressed her knees closer to her.

Kaidan untangled himself from the bed and padded to the bathroom naked. Shepard whimpered again at the sight of his golden, toned physique. She wanted nothing more in her life than to stay next to him forever. Knowing she had to leave made her feel even worse. He brought her back a glass of cold water and had slung a towel around to his waist. "Come on, it will make you feel better," he stroked her side encouragingly. She finally sat up and drank the glass in one long sip and dragged herself into the bathroom. Kaidan followed her in and began to massage her shoulders as the hot water cascaded down her body.

The shower seemed to help a little, though her stomach still felt uneasy. Each caress of Kaidan's strong hands gave her mixed feelings of comfort and longing. He was the steadying force in her life and to leave him on the Citadel would only make things more difficult. She wanted so much to ask him to come with her, but remembering the gleam in his eyes when he was being inducted into the Spectres stopped her from saying anything.

Kaidan walked her back to the docking bay after they'd dried off and dressed. They stood embracing in silence at the airlock doors for a while, unable to think of a proper goodbye. "Call me later and let me know how you are feeling," Kaidan finally said. "Get some more rest and take it easy for another day. You deserve it."

"Don't let the Council bullshit you," Shepard looked up at him with a sigh and tried to smile. "I am so proud of you. You will do this job much better than I ever did. I love you more than anything."

"I love you too," he squeezed her even tighter, pulling her off her feet a little. "Come home safe."

"I will," she kissed him gently, melting into his arms for just a moment longer


	110. Of Nature

**A/N: This chapter title is inspired by the Faunts song "Of Nature." I think the lyrics and mood of the song are very applicable to how Shepard feels in this chapter. Faunts is featured in the closing credits for Mass Effect 1 and 3. Very great music to write to and a very awesome band. I highly recommend them!**

Shepard trudged up to her cabin after leaving Kaidan at the airlock doors. She spent the rest of the day in a hateful mood, the hours seeming to drag on endlessly. The reports from Tuchanka were troubling and the Primarch was being more dodgy than usual. His son's ship had crashed somewhere on Tuchanka along with a small turian patrol, but Victus wouldn't confirm what the turians were doing there in the first place. They'd been grounded by reaper scouts that the krogan were desperately trying to fight off. Victus was unwilling to divulge anymore information, despite Shepard's demands.

She sat for what seemed like hours looking over the same reports. Nothing seemed to help pass the time and she couldn't bear to sleep or eat. It felt an eternity had passed before she finally called Kaidan, interrupting his dinner. "I'm sorry, I can call back later. I always seem to catch you at a bad time," Shepard apologized, as Kaidan tried to swallow a mouthful of food.

"No, it's fine. Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really," Shepard moped. "The hangover is gone, but the bad news keeps piling up." Shepard let out a heavy sigh and leaned on the arm that was propped on her desk.

"What's going on?" Kaidan asked.

"Reaper scouts are hitting Tuchanka as we speak. The krogans are matching them right now, but once the capital ships arrive, it is going to look like Earth and Palaven all over again. The Primarch's son crashed somewhere on the surface during a recon mission, but he won't tell me anything about. And Cerberus ships have been seen in the area as well. I'm just waiting for the rachni to show up and start spitting acid on everyone."

"Well, at least your hangover went away," Kaidan tried to add something positive.

"There is that," Shepard tried to hide a frustrated tear at the corner of her eye, but she couldn't hold it in. "I'm scared Kaidan," she added, as her throat tightened. "Everything I've done, what we've done together, it could come undone so easily. What if we are spending our last moments apart for nothing? It just feels like we are losing and nothing will help us."

"We'll make it through, I know we will. We've survived worse. Everything else in this world can fall apart, but we never will. I know it. There is something special between us. I don't know, maybe it is fate or destiny, I don't even know if I believe in any of that, but," he paused.

"Well, whatever it is, it seems determined to keep us apart. We've lost so much time together. It just feels hopeless sometimes. I don't know how you stay so positive all the time."

"I was raised to go out fighting, no matter how bad the odds seem. And I get a lot of inspiration from this cynical, but amazing woman who stopped a rogue spectre and an army of geth. A woman who flew into the center of the galaxy and blew up a group of genetically reengineered monsters. A woman that left me with one hell of a back ache."

"She sounds like a keeper," Shepard tried to laugh while hiding a sniffle. "It's too bad you have to keep picking her up off the ground."

"She is a keeper," Kaidan added. "And I don't mind having to help you up when you are down. I know how hard you work. It is only natural to get worn down sometimes. You just have to stay positive and take care of yourself. You look exhausted. Have you eaten or slept any more today?" he asked.

"I tried to take a nap earlier, but, I just can't shut it all off."

"You've got to try or else you are going to burn out. I know how you are. Why don't you get into bed and I will talk to you until you fall asleep. Maybe I can take your mind off things and help you relax."

"I am surprisingly not in the mood for extranet sex, if that's what you are thinking," she answered dourly.

"I thought we'd talk about literature or something," Kaidan laughed a little.

"That's fine, I suppose," Shepard narrowed her eyes at him with a slight smile.

She transferred the video feed to her omni-tool and slipped out of her uniform. "So what are we going to do after this war is over?" Kaidan asked as Shepard climbed into bed, trying to move the conversation to something more hopeful. " Retire and buy a farm? Fight crime as spectres?"

"Us together as spectres?" Shepard smiled. "It would definitely be a good cop, bad cop situation. Maybe they will give us our own action series on Blastnet or the Exploder Channel. Some sort of gritty cop show," she added with a laugh.

"Hm, I wouldn't mind that. I hear the set catering is really good. We'd need a really catchy name." Kaidan mused.

"Spectre on Spectre?" Shepard pondered. "No, that sounds too much like a smutty vid. Maybe something with our names. Shepard and Alenko? Shep and Alenko? Spanko? Again, that sounds too fetishy."

"What about Shenko?" Kaidan added.

"I like it," she laughed. "And Garrus will be our hard ass police chief. Every time we get into mischief, he'll yell 'Shennnnn-koooooooo' in a sing song tone."

"I'm sure Garrus will be up for that," Kaidan laughed. He could hear her relaxing a little and tried to move the conversation along that same lines. "Will we be together on the show, romantically involved?"

"I think they'll be some sexual tension at first, you know to build that 'will they, won't they' suspense. Then something will push us over the edge."

"That sounds familiar."

"It seems like only yesterday," Shepard mused, closing her eyes and hugging one of her pillows against her chest. "It took all my strength not to flirt with you and imagine my surprise when you started flirting with me."

"I'm pretty sure you flirted first!" Kaidan protested.

"I seem to recall a conversation about how people couldn't help but like me. And you drooling over that open back dress I was wearing on the Citadel."

"That wasn't flirting, that was just, nervousness," he chuckled. "What about how you were staring the first time we met? You just stood there with your mouth open, trying to think of something to say?"

"That was nervousness," she teased. "I was stunned by your handsomeness."

"Mmmhmm," Kaidan laughed again. "You know, as attracted to you as I was, I didn't think we were a good match at first. You have this hard outer shell when you first met people. It was a little intimidating."

"What changed your mind?"

"That night on Noveria when you had a headache. You finally let your guard down and let someone else help you."

"I fell asleep in your lap and you tucked me into bed," Shepard smiled and reminisced, starting to feel drowsy. "I knew there was something between us when I woke up the next morning. All the bullshit we'd be through the day before just melted away."

"Yeah, I guess that night was special for both of us. Strange."

They reminisced a little more until Shepard finally drifted off. Kaidan double checked to make sure she was out and disabled the uplink, telling her good night even though she wouldn't hear him. She slept through happy dreams with Kaidan and her old crew. Tracking Saren felt like a pleasure cruise compared to what she now faced. When she woke up in the morning, she felt a little less helpless, but the longing for Kaidan still persisted in the back of her mind.


	111. The Long Battle

**A/N: Sorry for another long delay. It's been hard trying to find inspiration to write while trying to deal with my financial situation. But I've decided to open myself up for commissions. If you are interested in a story or sketch commission, check out my Deviant Art journal for details. **

Shepard lingered in bed as long as she could, knowing that she would need all the rest she could manage. She had never been fond of Tuchanka and fighting reapers in its humid heat and acrid air wouldn't help change her mind. She finally climbed out of bed and padded to her terminal after grabbing a jacket to wrap around her bare torso. "Any news?" Shepard called down to Joker with a yawn.

"The krogan aren't exactly prompt with sending in reports. It sounds like they have no idea about the turian ship, I'm assuming that is a good thing?" he replied.

"Judging from how secretive Primarch Victus is being, I want to keep the krogans out of the loop for as long as possible. I doubt the platoon was there for krogan interests. Keep me updated if you hear anything."

"Yes ma'am," Joker signed off.

Shepard sent Kaidan a quick message, thanking him for helping her fall asleep and took a shower. She wondered if Garrus had been able to pry information out of Victus and headed down to the main battery after getting dressed. Unfortunately, he knew about as much as Shepard did. "Something isn't right about this. If Victus is trying to cover up for his son's mistake that is one thing, what the platoon was doing on Tuchanka is another," Garrus replied.

"We are still on shaky ground with the krogan, even with Wrex onboard. We need to get to the bottom of this before they find out," Shepard leaned on a nearby table.

"If Wrex hears you went behind his back," Garrus began.

"I don't like it either, but I don't see much of a choice. Eve seems to be keeping Wrex occupied for the moment. If we can extract the turians and get some answers, maybe we can prevent this whole alliance from collapsing."

"You've got my support, whatever happens," Garrus reassured her.

"Breakfast?" Shepard suggested, hoping food would settle the uncertainty she felt in her stomach.

The reapers took no notice of the stealth ship when they arrived on Tuchanka, preoccupied with the krogan ground forces. Shepard headed down to the cargo bay with Garrus in tow and prepared to disembark. "Did Victus send you the last transmitted coordinates of the turian ship?" Shepard asked Cortez.

"It's already programmed into the shuttle's nav system. We should be able to sneak in under the reapers' radar. Coming back is another story."

"Is the shuttle fully stocked in case we have to bunker up on the surface for a few days?"

"A weeks' worth of rations," Cortez nodded.

"Let's get down there then," Shepard ordered, motioning towards James, who had been absentmindedly shuffling a deck of cards.

The kodiak slipped out of the cargo bay and flew towards the last location of the turian ship. It was a bumpy ride, as Cortez dodged both ground and air fire from the opposing krogan and reaper forces. "I see the crash site, but the reapers are fortified around them. You might have your work cut out for you," Cortez yelled from the helm. "I will get you as close as I can, but we won't be able to leave until those ground forces are neutralized." The shuttle pitched to the left as he avoided fire from reapers on the ground.

"Just put us down somewhere safe. You can stay with the shuttle and we will clear out the rest," Shepard held tightly the wall, giving Garrus a worried looked.

Cortez found a sheltered area to land the shuttle and set the kodiak down safely. As Shepard stepped out of the shuttle door, the humid, noxious air hit her like a wall of fire. She quickly activated her breather mask to keep the air from filling her lungs. "I really hate this place," she sighed.

"The reapers have put down a lot of ground troops, much more than I expected," Garrus replied. "They work fast."

"Luckily for us, they work predictably too. We just have to watch out ass."

"What about that?" James asked, as a harvester flew overhead.

"These ruins will provide some cover from the air, so we'll just have to climb through them. Cortez, if anything changes, I want you to get out of here. That's an order," Shepard replied.

"Yes ma'am," Cortez nodded.

They left the shuttle and headed out into the crumbling mess that lie in front of them. "EDI, can you try to raise the turian ship?" Shepard radioed.

"The reaper incursion has diminished communication capabilities. I will try to find a signal," EDI replied, her voice cutting out at times.

As they continued through the ruins, EDI managed to patch in a weak signal. "This is Commander Shepard with the Alliance Navy," she called. "What is your position?"

"Alliance?" a voice replied. "My father must have sent you," he added, with a sigh. "This is Lieutenant Tarquin Victus. I don't know where we are, but we are surrounded by reapers."

"I need you to set off a flare so we can get an exact position," Shepard replied.

"That will draw even more reapers towards us," Tarquin replied.

"You don't have a choice," Shepard raised her voice. "This place is a maze. If we can't pinpoint your location we are going to be walking in circles."

"Alright," Tarquin finally sighed. "But I am losing men quickly."

Shepard moved her team forward and waited for the flare to go up. It lit the smoke-choked sky bright red for a few minutes before dying out. "I've got their position triangulated," Garrus checked his omni-tool. "Though finding a direct route is going to be impossible."

"We've just got to keep moving and keep the reapers off our backs," Shepard replied, searching for an exit to the ruined bunker they were standing in.

They had a tactical advantage on the reapers at first, surprising a few clusters of husks and cannibals before the reapers caught onto the threat behind them. Frag grenades made quick work of the smaller groups and would occasionally clear a better path for Shepard and the team to take. The ruins proved to be maze-like and Shepard had to back track on quite a few occasions. They finally began to see debris from the crash, but the reaper threat grew larger as they moved closer to the main crash site.

"What's that up ahead?" James motioned, climbing down a hill of debris.

"Looks like an escape pod," Garrus noted. He followed James down and headed toward the pod.

"No survivors," he added grimly, peeking inside. He began to pull off the identification emblems attached to the dead soldiers' armor. "I am sure Victus will want these."

"I really wish I knew what we were doing out here," Shepard sat down with a sigh. She pulled off her helmet and squeezed a packet of water into her mouth. Climbing up and over debris was tiring work and she didn't know if they would be able to reach the main crash site before they would need to rest. The reapers were relentless and the squad needed time for their weapons to recharge.

"Can you hear that? In the distance, that is turian fire," Garrus climbed out of the pod after relieving the soldiers of their spare heat clips.

"Survivors of the crash?" James wondered. "It sounds like they are getting hit pretty hard."

"Let's head that way, see if we can help them out," Shepard pulled her helmet back on. She didn't have much energy left, but she pushed on.

They followed the distinct sound of the turian weapons and found another escape pod whose occupants had survived the crash. They were pinned down by a pair of harvesters. The squad was able to take advantage of the turian distraction and took the harvesters down quickly. "You must be Commander Shepard," one of the exhausted turians waved. "We heard you on the radio."

"Have you been in contact with Victus?" Shepard climbed down from the building they'd come from.

"No, our radio is shot. We were preparing the head to the main crash site when these harvesters came. We've been fighting them for more than a day."

"How many men were in the pod?" Garrus asked.

"Eighteen," the soldier replied, looking around at the seven other turians around him.

"We'll move towards the crash site together after we rest," Shepard looked around the area. "We need to set up a perimeter and patrol in shifts."

"Sounds like a plan," the turian nodded.

"EDI," Shepard radioed, but only got static. "Normandy, anyone, can you read me?"

"Commander," Cortez radioed back roughly. "I've only been able to reach the Normandy intermittently. The reapers keep jamming our signals. I think I've got a clear window to leave, what's your situation?"

"We are dug in hard with a few turian soldiers. We are still at least a mile from the crash site. We need to reconnoiter and refuel for a few hours. Get back to the Normandy and tell Lt. Victus to hang on."

"Aye-aye, ma'am," Cortez replied.

Shepard took off her helmet and saw the shuttle quickly disappear into the gray smog. They hadn't gone as far as she'd thought and that discouraged her. She was exhausted and covered in sweat. Her muscles ached and were starting to cramp. She helped distribute the proximity grenades they carried and volunteered to take first watch even though she was tired.

As she stood watching for any enemy movement, she couldn't recall ever having such a bleak outlook on a situation ahead of her. They'd been fighting all day and had barely made any progress. Even amidst the war, her allies were still keeping secrets. Each time her rifle rang from a stray reapers closing in on the camp, she knew it was only one of many that were trying to kill her and all she held dear


End file.
